•Goal 1: Learn Topography•Goals 2: Learn how it affect a Culture

One of the purposes of this lesson is to learn about topography and how to read topographical maps. Topography is the study of the elevation of land or its height above sea level.

The second purpose of this lesson is to learn about how elevation features and topography affect a particular culture in that region.

A topographical maps’ most distinct features are contour lines or the brown lines on the map to the left.

Rules of Contour LinesDefinition: Contour lines or the brown lines on a topographical map, are lines of equal elevation that connect. Contour lines are the most important tool for cartographers.

Rules:1. All points on one contour line eventually

make a closed circle and never end.2. Contour lines never cross one another.3. Contour lines tell us the slope of the land. A

steep slope is shown by lines that are close together; a gradual slope is shown by widely spaced lines.

4. Contour lines curve or point in a V towards the source of a stream or river where they cross it.

5. A hachured contour line shows an area of depression. The hachurs point into the depression.

6. The difference between two contour lines in the contour interval.

Topographic Map SymbolsTopographical maps use standard symbols to show a variety of features.

To the right, some common map symbols are pictured. Some other symbols include black boxes for buildings, brown concentric circles with hachurs for depressions, and red roads outlined in black as primary roads.

Topographical Map Colors

On a topographical map, colors represent specific land features and areas.

1. Brown represents contour lines.

2. Green represents grass or forests.

3. Pink represents city areas.

4. White represents clear areas

5. Black represents anything man-made like a house.

Topography and Culture

The topography of the land or its elevation, hills, or and plains affect how a culture provides for itself. This can include the type of food it eats, what shelter the people live in, and whether they have to move at various times of the year.

Nomadic Cultures

Nomadic cultures or cultures of honor are affected by the topography of the land they live on in a variety of ways.

1. Nomadic cultures can have little allegiance to the national government, so they often do not abide by the laws of the country they are in; their honor code can be based on inspiring fear against others. An example would be Mongolians who had to scare their adversaries for survival.

2. The culture also has to move from place to place and the topography of the land affects the type of shelters (tents) or other equipment the people can bring with them.

Mountainous Cultures

Mountainous cultures are also affected by the topography of the land.

1. At higher elevations, plants can’t grow as easily because the soil is not as nutrient rich. The people of the region have to rely on other sources of food like animals to provide nourishment.

2. To get around, the people have had to adapt to the region and find a new way to travel in the snow in the winter. What do you think they use?

Project

Each student will be required to complete a research project where they will be able to choose a country with the teachers approval, and present a project on how the topography of the land affects that culture.

Each of the students must:

1. Research using the internet and have 3 sources or more.

2. Explain how shelter is affected.

3. Explain how what the people eat is affected.

4. Explain how transportation is affected.

Rubric

Projects will be graded on the following:1. Inclusion of all elements from the

previous slide 40%.2. Inclusion visual representations of how

topography affects a culture with description (map) 20%.

3. Use of three of more sources of information20%.

4. All members of the team of the project are actively involved in the work 10%.

5. Creativity and originality 10%.

DefinitionsBench Marks: Points whose exact elevation is given and are written in black, ex. BM1250

Cartographer: A person who makes maps

Contour Interval: The distance between side-side contour lines which is the same for the entire map.

Contour Line: A line on a map that connects points of equal elevation.

Elevation: Height of a particular point above sea level.

Hachured: Marks which point into areas of depression.

Legend: Area on a map that explains what map symbols stand for.

Map Scale: Compares the distance on a map to distances in real miles or kilometers.