GEOGRAPHY HELP!!!!

General forum for Secondary Education

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now
Geogfailure

GEOGRAPHY HELP!!!!

Post by Geogfailure »

HELP son came home has to make a contour relief map of area where we live to hand in day they go back to school.

Great Christmas we're going to have especially as we're going away and only have 1 day to make it. They are meant to use an OS map of our area which is so built up the contour lines are virtually impossible to see. What planet do these teachers live on....

Please please help where do we start where can I get a clearer map etc etc
jah

Post by jah »

I suggest that you do it of a different area. Does a relative live in the country? Do it of the area around their home.

Seriously, look at the thicker contour lines and just use those. Or look at the OS website, type in your postcode and then go to highest magnification this is 1:25,000 map which is clearer than 1:50,000 series. If you print in colour, you should be able to see contours clearly (B&W not clear)

http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/
Geogfailure

Post by Geogfailure »

The map we have is 1:25000 but you cannot see the contours still, as the building density is too high and contour lines are very faint. I have checked grandparents area in the country which will be much better, I just have a feeling he wont go for it as "the teacher said had to be on our area" Thanks for that idea, does any know where I can find a map just showing the contours and nothing else??
Guest

Post by Guest »

What year is your child? If this is primary, this homework is outrageous. If it's GCSE coursework, then the child needs more time.
Geogfailure

Post by Geogfailure »

Sorry, yes never made this clear. He's in year 7
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by Sally-Anne »

Hi Geog failure

Nightmare bit of homework, and it seems to be a standard part of the curriculum for Year 7. However, when we did it last year we were given a random part of an OS map which had clear contour lines.

I tried Google Earth for you, but there doesn't seem to be any source of maps that just show contour lines.

You could try getting the local copy shop to blow up the relevant section of your OS map - that is recommended on the OS website (education section), so there is no issue with copyright.

Otherwise, just do his grandparents home area or the nearest green space to you, and explain to the teacher - send in a photocopy of the local OS map with your note!! I don't think the teacher has thought this through - s/he is just blindly following a standard lesson plan. :evil:

BTW, if you actually have to build a model, cut up supermarket cardboard boxes to create the different contour levels.

Sally-Anne
jah

Post by jah »

The thing to do is get a piece of tracing paper. Tape it to your map (masking tape if you've got it) and mark on a couple of land marks so you can check that the paper doesn't slip. Say the lines of a couple of roads plus the location of your house.

Then mark on the contours that you can see. Take the paper off the map and try to work out what the height of each contour is that you have marked on. Check the key to see what the intervals between the lines are. When you find bits of the same contour, try to join them together using your local knowledge. For example, if the contour near your house is 50m and the one at the end of the road is 50m, is there a dip or a rise between the 2 points? If not, you can just join them - if there is, you need to decide whether the contour goes to the left or the right. Try to use just the thicker contour lines as these will be easier to see. Then you can try to put some others in afterwards, if possible.

Good Luck! I have to say that this is the sort of homework I enjoy helping with, and my kids would have to tell me to get lost if they wanted to do it themselves!!
GeogFailure

Post by GeogFailure »

Thanks so much for all your replies I feel a little more confident now!!!
Surfwidow

Post by Surfwidow »

Hi, Both my girls have done this homework in Yr 7 at Grammar School and we have used different coloured card mounted on wood. We had to do the contours of the island of Guernsey, as that is where we live, but it could be made out of anything ie. cake, pasta (lasagne), plastic, etc. Needless to say my son is sitting his 11+ and so we could be going through the whole thing again in September. Hey ho! Good luck.
Guest

Post by Guest »

Surfwidow wrote:Hi, Both my girls have done this homework in Yr 7 at Grammar School and we have used different coloured card mounted on wood. We had to do the contours of the island of Guernsey, as that is where we live, but it could be made out of anything ie. cake, pasta (lasagne), plastic, etc. Needless to say my son is sitting his 11+ and so we could be going through the whole thing again in September. Hey ho! Good luck.
Haven't you kept one from one of the other children?? Always best to hang on to any time-consuming tasks like this, as parents usually end up doing them!! :lol:
Post Reply