Final Assignment

Part 1:  Google Topographic Maps

1.  You are going to be demonstrating your understanding of topographic maps, erosion and weathering in this exercise.  Go to Goolge Topo Maps and you will be placed above Mt. Ranier.  Zoom out and until you can see the entire United States.  Search for a specific, named area where you find a difference in elevation of over 2000 ft.

2.  Press the PrtSc button on your computer to take a screen shot of the map.  Press the edit button, then once the image opens up press Crtl+e to start Paint.  You will then be able to draw and make notes on the image.


3.  Draw a circle around the landform you are investigating.  What is the range between the highest and lowest points of your landform?  What evidence of erosion do you observe?  How would your chosen landform be different in the future if weathering were to occur?  Once you finish answering these questions save your new image with your name in and GoogleMaps in the title.  For example Mr.Gedeon_GoogleMaps1. 

4.  You will be creating 2 more examples.  Go back to number one and repeat two more times until you have 3 total files saved.

Part 2:  Google Earth 

1.  Open up Google Earth.  You will be making a short video tour of a Google Earth flight.  You can choose from the continents of Europe, Asia or Africa when looking for your landforms to investigate.

2.  Zoom into the continent you have chosen and start searching for areas of erosion.  Note the name of your landform on a piece of paper.  What caused the erosion that you notice in this area?  How will the landform change in the future due to forces that cause weathering?  Your explanation should be at least 30 seconds for the two questions.

3.  Zoom out and search for another landform on your chosen continent.  Answer the above questions from #2 using your new landform and note the name with correct spelling as well.  Repeat for a third landform and again answer all the questions again.

4.  Once you have your page prepared with your three landfroms, names and answers to the two questions, decide who will be the voice of your tour.  Set Google Earth back to your original landform and prepare to create your video tour.  Press the record tour button at the top of the screen and start talking about your first landform in the microphone.  When you finish have your partner type your next landform into the Fly To box.  Keep recording and continue to talk about your findings with respect to your next landform.  Repeat this for your third landform as well.  When you are finished save your tour to our class networked drive.

Students, Welcome to our Topographic Maps Unit

Now that you have learned about topographic maps and satellite views, it is time to put your new knowledge to work.  Please complete the following exploration using Google Maps and Google Earth before starting your final project.  You will be putting your answers in a word document.

Part 1: Google Maps

1.  Open the Google Maps topographic maps found at http://geology.com/topo-maps/.  You will be looking at Mt. Ranier from above.  Zoom out using the arrows at the top left corner.  Zoom out two or three times until you find Emerald Ridge, SE of Mt. Ranier.  Approximately how high is Emerald Ridge at its highest point?  Mark your answers your word document.  Note: If you get lost and want to start over at anytime just refresh your browser and you will reappear above Mt. Ranier.

2.  Next we will be traveling S-SW of Emerald Ridge to Mt. St. Helens.  It is near Spirit Lake on the map.  Once you find the lable Mt. St. Helens National Monument, zoom in to the crater.  Once you are in the crater note in your word document the elevation of the most flat part of the crater floor.  Also, do you notice any erosion that may have taken place at Mt. St. Helens?  Write your response down under number two.

3.  At what elevation is Spirit Lake?  Zoom out some from Mt. St. Helens and you should see it to the NE of Mt. St. Helens.

4.  Now, go to another state besides Washington or Oregon.  You may want to zoom way out to see the whole United States.  Now find another landform which is named and find the elevation of the landform using the contour lines on the topographic map.  List the name of your landform and its approximate elevation.

Part 2: Google Earth

1.  Using a computer with Google Earth installed, open up Google Earth.


2.  In the 'Fly To' box type in Mt. Ranier.  Once you get to Mt. Ranier, zoom out a bit.  What do you notice is different about this satellite view of Mt. Ranier vs. the view from the topographic map we saw earlier?  Write you answers on your Word document.

3.  Fly to the Grand Canyon.  Using your previous knowledge of landforms, write a brief description of how the Grand Canyon formed.