Exploring Our World: Junior Cycle Geography · 1st Year

Active learning ideas

Hills and Flat Land on Maps

Active learning helps students grasp how digital elevation data is transformed into meaningful maps. When students interact with GIS tools, they move from passive map viewers to active data detectives, which builds deeper spatial reasoning skills. These activities make abstract concepts like contour lines and data layers concrete and memorable.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA: Primary Curriculum - Myself and the Wider World
• NCCA: Primary Curriculum - Geographical Investigation

• 20–60 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Simulation Game
• 45 min · Small Groups

Simulation Game: The GIS Layer Challenge

Using transparent plastic sheets or digital software, students 'layer' different data (e.g., a map of a river, a map of low-lying land, a map of houses). They must identify the 'high-risk' zones where all three layers overlap.

How do maps show us where the land is high or low?

Facilitation Tip

During the GIS Layer Challenge, circulate to ask guiding questions like, 'What happens if you remove the elevation layer?', to push students to think about data importance.

What to look for

Provide students with a small section of a topographic map. Ask them to circle one area they identify as hilly and one area they identify as flat, and to write one sentence explaining their reasoning based on the map's features.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Inquiry Circle
• 60 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Story Maps

Groups use a digital tool (like ArcGIS or Google My Maps) to create a 'Story Map' of a local issue, such as a new cycle lane or a park. They must add points of interest, photos, and descriptions to explain their plan.

What colour might a map use for mountains?

Facilitation Tip

For Story Maps, provide a short model of a well-structured map (e.g., one with a clear title, legend, and narrative) so students have a concrete example.

What to look for

Display a map with colour-coded elevation bands. Ask students to hold up fingers to indicate the elevation range of a specific coloured area (e.g., 'Show me 1 finger for 0-100m, 2 fingers for 100-200m').

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 20 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: How GIS Saves Lives

Students watch a short clip on how emergency services use digital maps. They brainstorm with a partner three ways this is faster than using a paper map and share their ideas with the class.

How can we tell if a place is flat or hilly from a map?

Facilitation Tip

In the Think-Pair-Share activity, assign specific roles (e.g., speaker, note-taker) to ensure all students contribute and stay engaged.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are planning a bike race. Which map feature, contour lines or colour shading, would be more helpful for identifying challenging uphill sections, and why?' Facilitate a brief class discussion.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Use physical models of hills and flat land, like layered sand trays or 3D-printed relief maps, to build intuition before digital tools. Avoid starting with complex GIS software; begin with paper topographic maps to teach contour line basics. Research shows that students learn elevation concepts more easily when they first experience topography through touch and sight, then transition to digital representations.

By the end of these activities, students will confidently identify hills and flat land on topographic and GIS maps. They will explain why some areas appear hilly or flat and justify their choices using map features. Success looks like students discussing elevation data, spotting errors, and applying map knowledge to real-world scenarios.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the GIS Layer Challenge, watch for students who treat GIS maps as simple images rather than data-rich tools.

  In the GIS Layer Challenge, have students toggle layers on and off to see how removing data changes their understanding of elevation. Ask them to describe what information is missing when the elevation layer is turned off.

• During the Story Maps activity, watch for students who assume digital maps are always accurate.

  In Story Maps, point students to a recent news article about a map error (e.g., a road that no longer exists) and ask them to add a 'data verification' layer to their map to highlight potential mistakes.

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Methods used in this brief

• Simulation Game
• Inquiry Circle
• Think-Pair-Share