Landscape Models & Roadways: Carve that Mountain
Figure 1. Engineers use topographic maps to help them decide where to build roads and other modern amenities.Copyright Natural Resource Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture http://www.nh.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/Ecosystem_Restoration/Salt_marsh_projects.html
Students consider the Earth's major types of landforms such as mountains, rivers, plains, hills, canyons, oceans and plateaus. Student teams build three-dimensional models of landscapes, depicting several of these landforms. Once the models are built, they act as civil and transportation engineers to design and build roads through the landscapes they have created. The worksheet is provided in English and Spanish.
To build infrastructure for transportation, engineers must understand the landforms and the geology of the Earth. Engineers are responsible for deciding where to put roads, highways, train tracks, tunnels and bridges. Engineers are also involved in city planning and determining the locations of water and power resources for cities and communities along the way. This can sometimes be very challenging in areas with mountains, hills, waterways and dense forests.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Identify the major features of the Earth's surface such as mountains, rivers, plains, canyons and plateaus.
- Describe how engineers need a good understanding of local landforms in order to design transportation systems.
- Explain why engineers build models before final projects.