1. Do Now:
What do you think this is an image of?
What does it show?

2. Learning objective: I can explain and identify on a Topo. Map:
Contour lines
Contour interval
Relief
Criteria for success:
Determine contour interval
Label the steep and gentle slope.

3. I. Topographic Maps A. Show the shape and elevation of the land.
B. They also show man-made features such as roads, development, trails, etc.

4. Contour Maps show the elevation of the land.
Mrs. Degl

7. II. Contour Lines
Topographic maps use Contour Lines to show elevation and land shape.
B. connects places of equal elevation.

8. D. Index Contour- a contour line that is numbered with the elevation.
C. The Contour Interval=difference in elevation between two consecutive contour lines
D. Index Contour- a contour line that is numbered with the elevation.
Contour Interval
Contour Interval

9. What is the contour Interval?
1st: Calculate the difference between the 2 index contours.
2nd: Count the number of contour lines between the 2 index contour lines and add 1. (This is how many “Steps” the elevation has changed)
3rd: Divide the difference calculated in #1 by the number of “steps” figured in #2 and you will get the value of the contour interval.
What is the contour Interval?

10. D. Contour lines never cross or intersect.

12. IV. Interpreting land shape
A. Contour lines close together show STEEP land
B. Contour lines far apart show land that is NOT steep (a gentle slope).

13. VI. Mountains and depressions
A. Contour lines form closed circles around mountain peaks.
B. An area of depression is indicated with hash marks pointing in on the circle. This indicates that elevation goes down.

14. VII. Rivers
A. Because rivers erode land, the area beside a river has a lower elevation than the land around it. This appears as dips in the contour lines. The point of the dip always points UPSTREAM, or up hill.