KENTUCKY STATE PARK FOUNDATION
middle school topographic exploration
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Contents 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
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Introduction Middle School Option Find topographic maps Map of park Guides, terms, etc. Questionnaire Goody Bag Pledge
Introduction
Hey there! I’m Forrest the fox. I’m the new Kentucky State Park Foundation mascot. Not only are foxes a trendy animal, but I will also give children and adults a face to go along with the Kentucky State Park Foundation Education Sector.
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I care a lot about education. Learning as much as possible about the environment is vital in order to become a resonsible citizen of planet Earth. I’m here to help. This booklet offers ideas. To spark a curriculum, if you willl. Curriculum requires organization, and that is why I compiled a list of ideas for you in this booklet! (You’re welcome.) There are several different ways you can run with this, but I only have one objective here. I want children to leave here excited about Kentucky State Parks with their goody bag. In the goody bag, there will be a voucher. The parents will inspect the goody bag (as all good parents should do) see the voucher, then donate money to the Kentucky State Park Foundation. With their help, children will always have a safe haven with the Kentucky State Parks— a place they will grow to love, and have memories for years to come. So please. Become aquainted with this book. I live in these parks. I don’t want to lose my home!
Forrest
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Middle School Lesson Plan
Materials: • Topographic Map • Ruler/pencil Lesson objectives: Students will learn the importance of topographic maps, and thoroughly know how to read it, identify symbols and find things with coordinates and scales. 1. Students will be welcomed in a conference room or awning (at non-resort parks) at the park they will be visiting. Students are given a topographic map of the state park they are visiting. To find a topographic map of a particular park, please refer to the map to the right. 2. Instructor then guides the students on how to read a topographic map of their area. The instructor then expresses the importance of topograhpic maps. • Contour lines represent elevation • The closer together, the steeper the land is • The farther apart the lines are, the flatter the land is • Symbols • Terms: map scale, legend, index, contours • How to find out how steep something is with contour interval • Darker lines represent every 5th line. 3. Split students into groups. Give them the worksheet. They will need to identify certain landmarks on the map with the given coordinates and the elevation. Some questions will contain how far away another destination is and in what direction. See later pages. 4. Students split for lunch and free time, or they go home. They receive a goody bag before they go.
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Acqusition of Topographic Maps
• Go to the following website: ftp://ftp.kymartian.ky.gov/krg/ • Click the link that says: Kentucky_Quad_Index_Map • Identify your map with where the grid is on this map. For example: Dale Hollow lake: U35
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Dale Hollow Lake
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Scale
Legend
Terms Map scale – compares distances on the map with distances on earth. Legend –. explains symbols used on the map. Index contours – contour lines that are labeled to help you find the contour interval. Contour Interval - A contour interval is the difference in elevation between two contour lines that are side by side.
Color Guides Blue lines/shapes - represent water features, such as streams and lakes. Brown – contour lines Black – Roads, buildings, railroads, other man made objects. Green – Woodland areas Red - Highways
from icsm.gov.au
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Questionnaire
1. What is the elevation of the Picnic Area on Trooper Island? 2. (If Coordinates were correctly placed on the example map) What are the coordinates approximately for Little Cactus Island? 3. What approximately do these coordinates join to? 1. (a,b)_____________ 2. (b,d)_____________ 3. (c,g)_____________ 4. (i,j)______________ 4. What is the dotted line around Boom Ridge? 5. What is the coordinate for the Wolf mine? 6. What kind of road leads all the way down to Dlae Hollow Lake? 7. What is the highest elevation you see on here? 8. What is the lowest elevation you see in this body of water? 9. What is the elevation around Mill Creek? 10. About how far away is the picnic area on Trooper Island to the cemetery? 11. Approximately what are the coordinates for the cave? 12 How are contour lines drawn on maps? 13. How does a contour map show whether a slope is gentle or steep? 14. What is a benchmark? 15. How is a benchmark shown on a map? And on this one? 16. How is distance measured on a contour map? 17. How far away is the cemetery to the closest picnic area? 18. Do you see any airports on this map? Y/N 19. Do any primary roads run through this map? Y/N 20. What does the green represent?
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Goody bag Recommendations
This includes a reusable shopping bag with the fox mascot, a pen with the Kentucky State Park Foundation logo, a Fox Ranger pin (the perforated one is a Junior pin, but still considered a “decoy�, but boy scout badges would be availalbe), and voucher.
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x______________________ (signature)
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E G N
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KENT UC
ON ATI ND
I, ________ promise to stay true to Kentucky State Parks. I promise to take care of wildlife by not littering, even at home. I will respect animals and the habitats they live in. I will encourage others to play outside, and I will spend less time on electronics and more time in the fresh air. I promise to share my experiences today with my family and TE PARK F A friends, and to be T OU S Y K a true Junior Fox Ranger.
r F OX R A
_______ (date)
Kentucky State Park Foundation 4101 Tates Creek Centre Suite 150 c- PMB 139 Lexington, KY 40517 Molly Caldwell | 859.351.8430 mcaldwell.kspf@gmail.com
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