ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an interdisciplinary lesson designed for middle school students studying landforms and geological processes. Students create a two-dimensional topographic map from a three-dimensional landform that they create using clay. Students then use other groups' topographic maps to recreate landforms. As students work through three distinct learning-cycle phases of concept exploration, introduction, and application, they use art, language arts, and mathematical skills to strengthen or form new science and social studies concepts. Topographic mapping gives teachers the opportunity to do follow-up activities about plate tectonics and mountain-forming processes that directly relate to the initial driving questions. The clip is free, easily accessible, and engages students using colorful animation to show plate-tectonic processes. Teachers can set the stage for active constructivist learning in designing activities in which students are being asked to predict and refine the investigative processes.
