National Science Teachers Association
Introducing Isolines
Author(s): Michelle Akridge, Barbara Lary and Gerald H. Krockover
Source: The Science Teacher, Vol. 56, No. 2 (February 1989), pp. 31-33
Published by: National Science Teachers Association
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/24141962
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Introducing Isolines
A weather-wise activity.
by Michelle Abridge, Barbara Lary, and
Gerald H. Krockover
graph paper, three balls of string, When students have finished con
contact with all types of scissors, and a variety of maps fromnecting the push pins with the string,
maps. You probably saw at the local National Weather Service they should copy the pin points and
Every day, people come into
least one map today, perhaps Office and/or from newspapers. lines as closely as possible onto a piece
the weather map on the of graph paper, making sure to note
morning news. Many maps use spe the colors of the pins. All lines should
cial features called isolines to convey Illustrating isotherms
be labeled with the appropriate color,
information. Isolines show where cer To prepare the isoline arrays for or drawn with the appropriately col
tain features—such as altitude—are the first part of the activity, placeored pencil. Your students should
constant over the area displayed oncolored push pins on each of the cork notice that the lines form specific pat
the map. Several of the most commonboards following the patterns shownterns on the paper. Ask them what
types of isolines are isobars, whichin Figure 1. These patterns representshapes the lines make. The students
show equal pressure, and isotherms, three basic isoline patterns commonly probably will respond that the lines
which show equal temperature. (Seefound on weather maps. look like either waves or rough circles.
the map on page 33.) Each of the boards will serve as a Before the students move on to the
Many students have difficulty unwork station during the activity. Dividenext work station, ask them to re
derstanding how isolines are deter the class into three groups. Have themove the strings at their current work
mined. Most textbooks present thegroups rotate so that each one visitsstation.
concept of isolines without explainingall three stations. Once the students have visited all
how isolines are derived. The follow At each of the stations, students three work stations and constructed
ing activity will provide your students connect push pins of the same color their isolines, it's time to introduce
with a concrete example of how isowith string. For example, at work sta them to the idea that similar lines,
lines translate into the maps that they tion two, students will connect all the when drawn on a weather map, repre
see everyday. In the first part of the yellow pins on the board. Have themsent a range of locations with constant
start by loosely knotting the string totemperature or pressure. Tell them
activity, students will construct isolines
with string around an array of pusha yellow pin close to the edge of thethat each work station represents one
pins placed in a cork board. (See Fig board. They should then connect theweather pattern and that each color
ure 1.) This exercise will give themstring to the nearest yellow pin bycorresponds to a certain temperature
the knowledge about isolines whichlooping the string around that pin or pressure value.
they need to analyze real weather once. The students should continue Work Station 1 shows a pattern of
maps in the second part of the activity. looping the string around the closesttemperature. (See Figure 1.) The push
The isoline activity will require some"unlooped" pin, until all the yellow pinspins on the board represent weather
are connected. Warn them not to pull stations and the colors of the pins cor
setup on your part. First, you will need
to gather the following materials:the pins out of the board whilerespond to the temperatures at the
three cork boards, push pins (in five
working. stations. The lines are isotherms—lines
different colors), colored pencils (pref When the students have finished
of constant temperature. Students
erably the same colors as the pins),connecting all the pins of one color,should plot the following temperatures
have them cut off the ends of the at the corresponding points on their
Michelle Akridge is an atmospheric sciencestring. They should repeat this proce map: yellow, 22°C; green, 20°C; and
dure for the other colors on the board.blue, 18°C. The students will be in
education specialist in the department of earth
and atmospheric sciences and Gerald H. Krock Students should follow certain rulesterested to know that a real tempera
when connecting the push pins with
over is a professor in the departments of earth ture map might look similar to the
and atmospheric sciences and education atthe string. First, they should make sure one they have made.
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907. that the strings do not cross them The pattern at Work Station 2 re
Barbara Lary is an earth science teacher atselves or each other. Second, they presents atmospheric pressure, which
North Central High School, 1801 E. 86th is measured in millibars. Again, the
should see that the lines made by the
St., Indianapolis, IN 46240. strings are similar to the curves. pins represent weather stations, and
The Science Tender/February 1989 31
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Mnx-Karl Winker
—Art by Mnx-Knrl
32 The Science Teacher/Februnry 1989
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the colors correspond to the atmos were prepared? Relate these maps toby comparing them to USA Today's
pheric pressure at these stations. The your isoline activity. map of the country. The newspaper
lines are isobars—lines of constant You can develop extensions of the uses color shading to designate areas
pressure. Students should plot the fol
isoline project that allow students to that fall within certain temperature
lowing pressure values at the corre deal with the problem of drawing iso ranges. The isotherms are the bound
lines with actual numbers, so that thearies between the different shades.
sponding points on their maps: yellow,
1012 mb; green, 1010 mb; and.blue, activity is no longer a matter of "con The isoline activity can serve as a
1008 mb. necting the dots." One good source of beginning in mapping and analyzing
The pattern at Work Station 3 alsodata for constructing an isotherm mapweather data. It also can serve as a
represents atmospheric pressure, is sothe USA Today "Weather Across the springboard to understanding other
the lines are again isobars. Give stu
USA" page, which lists temperatures maps that use isolines, such as topo
from cities all around the country. graphic maps, for example, which use
dents the following pressure values to
plot: blue, 996 mb; green, 1000 mb; Students can take the temperature contour lines. Our experience with this
yellow, 1004 mb; orange, 1008 mb; values from the page and place them activity leads us to believe that it can
and red, 1012 mb. on the appropriate spots on a blank make a concept that is often difficult
When the students are done with map. After drawing isotherms on this for students to grasp more under
their mapping, ask them the followingmap, students can check their results standable and enjoyable. ■
questions.
• What is the temperature difference Figure 1. Cork board and push pin setups.
— Work station one
in °C between the lines that you have
Y
drawn for Work Station 1? What is
Y Y
the pressure difference in millibars be Y
tween the lines that you have drawn
for Work Stations 2 and 3? (The dif Y
Follow these patterns when setting up the push
ference at Work Station 1 is 2°C, the
pin arrays for isoline construction. The letters
G °
difference at Work Station 2 is 4 mb, G G
and the difference at Work Station 3 represent the colors of the push pins (B, blue;
G, green; O, orange; R, red; Y, yellow). B G B
is 4 mb.)
B
• How would you describe the pat B B
tern that you drew at each work B
station?
• Is the atmospheric pressure high
— Work station two — Work station three
or low in the center of the map for
GG G 0
Work Station 2? Why? (High, because B
the pressure values increase as you B B
B Y
move toward the center.) B O
G
In the second part of the activity, G B
students examine the real weather Y G G R
Y O
maps that you collected. Have the Y
G
students read the map legends, dates, G Y
B Y R
and time, and determine what weather Y
Y Y G
conditions are being displayed on the B O
map. Then ask them to answer the G
B B O
following questions. Either set up a B
class discussion, or have the students
work in smaller groups and record —Art by Mnx-Knrl Winker
their answers.
• What are the sources for the
This map shows isotherms across the United States.
weather maps? What other sources \ \ c\
do you know about?
• What information is represented
on each weather map?
• What are the differences between
the maps?
• What is your location on each of
the maps? (It may not be marked.)
What are the weather conditions re
ported or predicted for the day the
map shows?
• How are the isolines useful? Com
pare a board and pins with no string
(lines) to one of these maps.
• How do you think these maps —Art by M
The Science Teacher/February 1989 33
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