Social Studies
Lesson Plan

Using Maps on a Mountain Climb

Learning Objective:
Use maps to analyze spatial patterns.

Teacher Directions:
Knowing how to read maps is essential in mountain climbing as well as in everyday life. Maps help guide you to where you want to go and help you better understand new places. Three types of maps are very important in any mountain climbing expedition. First, you need to know how to get to the mountain. Second, you need to be able to find the basecamp areas. Third, you need to be able to see the safest and best routes to take to the summit.

What are all of the situations that require maps in everyday life? Brainstorm those situations and make a list. Then go on a scavenger hunt to find each kind of map that could help in each of those situations. You can also use the list of online map sources for additional maps.

Now let’s take a look at each map. What do they all have in common? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each map? Which of the following map types best describes each of the maps you found?

Physical Maps
Physical maps show the earth’s landforms and bodies of water. The maps use lines, shading, tints, spot elevations and different colors to show elevation and distinguish the mountains from the lowlands.

Political Maps
Political maps show boundaries that divide one political entity from another, such as townships, counties, cities and states. Some maps emphasize the boundaries by printing the areas of each political division in different colors. For example, world maps usually show each country in a different color.

Relief Maps: Shaded Relief and Raised Relief
Relief maps are maps that show relief data using contour lines, colors and/or shading to evidence the elevation.

Road Maps
A road map is published primarily to assist travelers in moving from one place to another. Some road maps show only interstate highways, while others show a detailed network of roads, including the back roads.

Topographic Maps
Topographic maps feature contour lines to portray the shape and elevation of the land.

Choose one of the map types and use the Chain of Events* diagram to outline the steps you would take to use a map in one of the everyday situations that you brainstormed. Describe how you would use the particular features of that type of map to help you accomplish your goal.

Resources:
Topozone —See a topographic map of your hometown
World Politcal Maps
Road Maps — Lycos
Road Maps — Mapquest
Relief Maps of the U.S.
Political and Physical Maps of World Countries

Activity Sheet:
Chain of Events*

Assessment:
Social Studies Assessment Sheet*