Name ____________________
Play-Dough Topo Activity, Student Sheet
Play-Dough Topo
Instructions: Answer the questions below using your new knowledge of topographic maps.
1. What do contour lines show?
2. Your landform was marked on the side in one centimeter increments. A new slice was
cut at each centimeter mark. Find the total elevation of your landform in
centimeters.
3. Find the contour lines on your topographic map. List the elevation for the contour
lines on your map if 1 centimeter = 1,000 feet.
4. What is the contour interval of your topographic map?
5. How might you distinguish a valley from a ridge on a topographic map?
6. Notice how all of your lines form irregular circles or ovals. Imagine what would happen
if you walked out the front door of your house and could only walk at one elevation,
never traveling up or down- could you get back home? Do all contour lines in the world
eventually have to connect back to themselves? Why or why not?
7. What side of your landform (use a direction) had the steeper slope? How do you know?
8. How does the spacing of contour lines indicate areas of a steep or gentle slope?
9. If you walked straight across from West to East on your landform, would you walk
uphill, downhill, or a combination of both? Discuss the map when answering the
question.
10. How many peaks does your landform have? How do you know? Discuss the map when
answering the question.