Topographic Mystery Lab

10/4/2025

In this lab, students use limited data to uncover a hidden landscape. By carefully probing through holes in a covered box with a toothpick, they measure the “elevation” at different points. Using this data, they draw contour lines to create a topographic map that reveals the hidden landform beneath the surface. After investigating the mystery maps, students try to match each one to one of the virtual landscapes found at this link.

This activity was designed for a 9th grade earth science class but would likely still fit well for both younger and older students.

Topography Mystery Lab (pdf)
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File Type:	pdf

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Procedure

With each box, use the measuring device (toothpick) to determine the depth at each coordinate/hole by dropping it or carefully pushing it down until it stops (do not force it further). The red side should be on the bottom
Based on the result, color in the corresponding circle on your grid with the designated color.
Once all circles have been colored, connect similar colors and label with the elevations using the value mapping included in the materials above

Collecting Data

The data in this lab is collected by tracking the lowest visible color when the toothpick probe is inserted in the mystery box. The example below doesn't match any of the mystery landforms and instead depicts the elevation data of a gently sloping hole in landscape with the lowest elevation in the middle and highest elevation at each of the corners

Step 1 – Color in Circles

Step 2 – Connect Colors

Step 3 – Label Elevation

Materials

The key to this lab is the 3D printed landforms so that all students have the same set ups that they are investigating. The original idea of this activity comes from a popular shoebox variant but I wanted to see if I could make a more repeatable (and easier to store) package for our 5 classrooms worth of earth science. All of the models are posted for free download or printed kits to purchase at the link below.

3D Printed - Topographic Mystery Lab Kit

This set includes 4 different landforms labeled 1-4 and printed in the colors shown as well as black covers with a 5x5 grid of holes. These landscapes have been carefully designed so that each of the 25 holes will result in an "elevation" measurement that hits right in the middle of one of the colors so there shouldn't be any ambiguity.

The two halves are held together using 4mm x 2mm magnets but could be glued with superglue if you want to make the mystery more permanent. ;) In all, each package fits into a 6 cm cube so it's easy to store when not being used.

In my classes, I have lab space for 7 different groups so I make two sets of 4 and they swapped with other groups when they finished each map until they saw all 4 mysteries. With more sets, groups could be smaller and there would be less waiting if there wasn't the right color available when needed.

The toothpick itself needs to be colored in 1 cm bands as shown. I found that sharpies worked well to color the toothpick without adding layers to impact clearance in the holes.

After doing this a once, I realized how tedious it was going to be so I made a quick set of jigs to make this process a little easier :) I even made a 3D printed toothpick in case I couldn't find any wood ones when needed.

To use the jig, just tape the "wings" to a table with the toothpick access hanging off the edge. With this set up, you can rotate the toothpick with one hand and hold the marker with your other. As you can see, there is one jig for the red/pink, yellow, and blue, and another jig for the orange and green. When both are used on the same toothpick, all 5 colors should be perfectly positioned. This jig is also included in the 3D printed kit and files.

Virtual Landforms

After blindly mapping the mystery landforms with basic elevation data, students are asked to compare their unknown map to a collection of 4 virtual landforms

Topographic Mystery - Virtual Landscapes

Below is an example of one of the virtual files that they can manipulate and explore. The 4 files included are labeled A, B, C, and D so as to not confuse between their matches that are numbered