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6th grade Land features and how to read a topographic map worksheet

6 printable versionsBuilding Confidence10 questions · answer keyFree · no account

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Land features and how to read a topographic map

Grade 6 Science Worksheet - Building Confidence

NameDate

Circle the best answer.

  1. Contour map with a key (model data, not to scale). Point P and point Q both sit on the contour line labeled 300 m on Ari's map. What is the elevation of point Q?

    • 320 m
    • 280 m
    • 20 m
    • 300 m

  2. Read this first

    Use this

    Contour map with a key (model data, not to scale). Key: brown lines are contours; blue line is a stream. Contour interval 20 m. Closed loops around one hilltop: 100 m (labeled), 120 m, 140 m, 160 m (labeled, at the top). Lines are close on side A (east) and far apart on side B (west).

  3. On Bo's hill map, the top loop is labeled 160 m and the next loop out is 140 m. What is the contour interval?

    • 160 m
    • 300 m
    • 4 m
    • 20 m

  4. On Jun's hill map, which side of the hill is steeper?

    • Both sides are equally steep
    • Side B, where the lines are far apart
    • Neither: contour lines show trails
    • Side A, where the lines are close

  5. A map shows very few contour lines spread far apart across a wide, low area. What is that land like, Kira?

    • Nearly level
    • Very steep
    • Under deep water
    • A sheer cliff

  6. Contour lines bunch tightly along one edge of a hill on Luz's map. What does that edge look like from the side?

    • A flat field
    • A gentle ramp
    • A stream
    • A steep slope

  7. Use this

    Contour map with a key (model data, not to scale). Key: brown lines are contours; blue line is a stream. Contour interval 20 m. Closed loops around one hilltop: 100 m (labeled), 120 m, 140 m, 160 m (labeled, at the top). Lines are close on side A (east) and far apart on side B (west).

  8. Closed loops get smaller toward the middle, and each loop is higher than the one around it. Which landform is it, Milo?

    • A hill
    • A plain
    • A canyon
    • A valley

  9. Use this

    Contour map with a key (model data, not to scale). Key: brown lines are contours; blue line is a stream. Contour interval 20 m. A wide flat top above the 400 m line, with lines from 300 m to 400 m packed tightly along its west side.

  10. A large area is high and flat on top, with tightly packed lines along one side. Which landform is it, Noah?

    • A plateau
    • A canyon
    • A pointed peak
    • A low plain

  11. Contour lines form sharp V shapes, and a blue stream runs through the V's. Which landform is it, Pia?

    • A valley
    • A plain
    • A plateau
    • A hilltop

  12. Use this

    Contour map with a key (model data, not to scale). Key: brown lines are contours; blue line is a stream. Contour interval 20 m. Closed loops around one hilltop: 100 m (labeled), 120 m, 140 m, 160 m (labeled, at the top). Lines are close on side A (east) and far apart on side B (west).

  13. On a USGS topographic map, what do the brown lines show, Ren?

    • Streams and lakes
    • Hiking trails
    • Contour lines of equal elevation
    • Areas with trees

  14. Some brown lines on Tala's map are wider and have elevations printed on them. What are those lines called?

    • Index contours
    • Scale bars
    • Contour intervals
    • Streams
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6th grade Land features and how to read a topographic map worksheet – printable
Print: 123456

About this worksheet

Land features and how to read a topographic map. Every version has 10 questions, and the answer key prints on the second page.

What your child will learn

  • I can read a contour map: each line is one elevation, and the interval is the height between lines.
  • I can tell steep from gentle ground by line spacing and match a map to its side view.
  • I can name hills, valleys, plains, plateaus, buttes and canyons from contour patterns, and tell which way a stream flows.

Standard: supports MS-ESS2-2

Words to know

contour line: A line joining points of the same elevation

elevation: Height above sea level

contour interval: The height difference between neighboring contour lines

index contour: A wider contour line with its elevation printed on it

profile: A side view of the land along a line on the map

plateau: Large, high, flat land with a steep slope or cliff on a side

Common mistakes

Your child read close contour lines as gentle ground. Close lines mean steep ground; wide gaps mean gentle ground. Try drawing a steep and a gentle hill side by side.

Your child counted contour lines without using the interval. Each gap between neighboring lines is one contour interval of height. Try counting stairs and multiplying by the height of one step.

Your child read contour lines as trails or places where height changes along the line. Each line joins points of the same elevation. Try tracing one line with a finger and saying its height.

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with land features and how to read a topographic map?

Your child read close contour lines as gentle ground. Close lines mean steep ground; wide gaps mean gentle ground. Try drawing a steep and a gentle hill side by side.

Are these 6th grade science worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions at each level are free to print, with the answer key, and no account is needed.

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