Goals for This Activity

Introduction: Google Earth® is an excellent tool for displaying and investigating a variety of spatial data. In this activity, you will examine the local hills, streams, reservoirs, and man-made features all within a few miles of our school. You will focus on the importance of reading and understanding our landscape through topographic features.

Goals for this Activity:

Stream Understanding

· Identify the upstream (uphill) and downstream (downhill).

· Understand & interpret the “rule of Vs” – the shape of contour lines relative to the flow a stream/river.

· Identify low vs. high gradient areas on a topographic map, AND what they represent in terms of the steepness of an area.

· Impact of potential stream contamination on large waterways (i.e., reservoirs)

Map & Topography Reading Understanding

· Use a legend to identify symbols on a topographic map.

· Feel confident & comfortable identifying & calculating varying gradients – steep vs. gentle areas of land.

Background: The map below is a ‘cut out’ of the Peach Lake Topographic Quadrangle Map containing our school campus, and other features near the intersection of Route 121 (N. Salem Rd) and Route 35.

Directions: It is important that you read and follow the directions carefully, especially when instructions ask you to “stop” along the tour. Most of the questions will be answered after zooming in on a location, but before moving onto the next stop.

Getting Started: Open the file under our website titled, “JohnJay.kmz”. Maximize Google Earth® software to take up all of your viewing area. Click on the stops in order and answer the questions below. If the tour starts to ‘fly away’ on you, then click the stop button to prevent going onto the next stop, and click on the previous stop to get back you back on track. Under tools>3D View>and Vertical Exaggeration at the bottom, change the setting to 2.5. This will help us to best “see” the terrain.

Stop 1 – Stream South of Middle School

Index Contour Lines: Topographic Maps typically have an index contour line – a bold contour line – at intervals of every five contour lines for to aid in map reading. However, the value of an index contour line depends on the contour interval of the map and is determined by either counting either ‘up’ or ‘down’ to the next index contour line.

1a) What elevation is the contour line at the point of the “Pushpin” along the steam at Stop 1

(include units)?______

Hint: Read the bold note above to help you.

1b) In what compass direction (i.e., SE, NW, etc.) does the stream at Stop 1 flow? ______

Which term, upstream or downstream – (circle one) best describes the direction a stream flows?

1c) Describe how your elevation would change if you were to walk in a straight line – in a northwest direction - from one bank of the stream to the other side of stream. Hint: You may not follow a contour line, and don’t over think this one J.

______

1d) Describe the path you would follow crossing the stream with your goal being to not experience a change in elevation during this wet stream crossing.

______

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Take a look – but do not click on it yet – at the “Rule of V” photo pushpin (Stop 1b).

1e) In what direction does that “V” point? (upstream or downstream – circle one)

1f) Click on 1b and study the photo. It’s an earth science class that was instructed to form a line across a valley of an intermittent (dried up at the moment) streambed at the Fox Lane HS Campus in such a way that no one’s feet were higher or lower elevation than one another. The topography there is very similar to the topography at Stop 1b. Answer the two questions shown within Google Earth® below.

1g) In general, what is the elevation of the students relative to one another (not their elevation above sea level, just their elevations compared to each other) (reread above to help you)? ______

1h) Are the students standing on a single contour line? EXPLAIN!

______

1i) What direction does water run in the valley the kids are standing in (straight left, down to the left, right, etc.) based on the orientation of the students? ______

1j) What direction does the “V” of students point? (upstream or downstream – circle one)

(Stop 1b Continued)

1k) Make a general statement below about the direction contour line “V”s point when they cross a stream valley

______

1l) Double click the stop 1c pushpin. What is the approximate elevation of this point?______

1m) Follow that contour line until it crosses the stream. Does it make a “V”? (yes or no, circle one)

(Hint: Carefully follow the 340 foot contour line to the north and upstream.)

What direction does that “V” point? ______

1n) Why do you think that the “V” is less pronounced (not quite as obvious compared with Stop 1)

at Stop 1c compared with Stop 1?

(Hint: consider the gradient of Stop 1 vs. the gradient of Stop 1c to help you….)

______

Stop 2 – Low Area

Click on this stop and observe the topography.

2a) What is the elevation of index contour lines on either side Stop 2? ______

2b) Describe the gradient between these index contour lines. Justify your answer!

______

2c) What do you think those green symbols represent at Stop 2? Hint: Pay attention to the bold blue/green line ‘running’ through this Low Area to help you with your answer.

______

2c) Click on the link immediately below the Stop 2 icon and read to discover if you were correct in your answer to Question i above. What does the symbol at Stop 2 represent? ______

Stop 3 – Hills A & B Southwest of JJMS

Click on Hill A, Hill B, and Hike #1 (stop 3). Before answering the questions below, “fly around” Hills A & B to get a ‘lay for the land’ to orient yourself.

3a) In effort to avoid exercise, and to quietly protest the wellness plan J, would you rather walk from Hill A to Hill B, OR would you rather walk from Hill B to Hill A? Justify your answer!

______

Click on Hike #1 – Stop 3. You are now looking with a map view perspective (from directly above). Using the tools menu>ruler>path option trace a line following the red hiking path from the valley between Hill A & Hill B, all the way to the top of Hill B. You may use your cursor to help you confirm the elevations of valleys and hilltops, but be sure to use the contour lines to select your final answer.

3b) What is the distance from Hill A to Hill B (include units)? ______

3c) What is maximum elevation of Hill A (units again…)? ______

3d) What is maximum elevation of Hill B (did I mention units J)? ______

(Hike 1 – Stop 3 Continued)

3e) Using your knowledge of gradient (hint: look at the cover of your ESRTs to help you), what is the gradient from the bottom of Hill B to the top of Hill B. Show all work!! Include units throughout your answer. No gradient answer is complete without units next to the answer.

Work Space:

Final Answer: ______

Stop 4 – Hills C & D

Click on Hill C, Hill D, and Hike #2 (stop 4). Before answering the questions below, “fly around” Hills A & B to get a ‘lay for the land’ – to orient yourself.

Click on Hill C.

4a) What is maximum contour line elevation Hill C? ______

Click on Hill D.

4b) What is maximum contour line elevation Hill D (either summit)? ______

4c) Compare the elevations of Hills B & D. What is the approximate difference in their maximum elevations? ______

4d) Approaching the summit of Hills B & D from the valley to their immediate east, why do you think that you would get much less of a workout hiking to Hill B than you would hiking to Hill D (Hint: they are at approximate the same elevations – look at your answer above to help you).

______

Click on Hike #2 (Stop 4) Icon. Viewing the trail from between Hills C & D from this angle, you can clearly see the approximate 40 feet of relief in the valley between them. Hikers often call the shape between two closely adjacent mountain peaks “saddles”, or a “notch”. Does that term agree with your view of the valley between Hills C & D? ______

4e) Why do you think that there are no houses or roads built on these hills?

______

You are almost done – keep it up!

Stop 5 – Stream Outlet

Click on Stream Outlet. You are looking almost due south. Notice the Cross River Reservoir in the distance to the Southwest of our campus, and to your current view.

5a) Using your answer to Question (a) WAY back on p. 2, what is the lowest possible elevation of this larger stream (notice how this stream is feed by the smaller stream south of our campus)?

(Hint: You may want to revisit your answer to Stop 2’s elevation to help you) ______

5b) Why is it important to protect the streams around our campus after now looking at the nearby Cross River Reservoir?

______

Reflection: Write a response to this Google Earth tour of the area surrounding our campus. This should be a thoughtful and concise write-up on “What did I learn…?”

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