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LEARNING TOOL

Open Educational Resource

LEARNING TOOL

OER

Making Mountains

Making Mountains

Mountains shape not only our planet, but also human settlements and even the climate.

This activity was developed by National Geographic and Esri to be used with MapMaker, a digital mapping tool for the classroom. It is one in a series of geoinquiry lessons intended to promote geographic thinking by using maps and spatial patterns to acquire, understand and communicate information.

Grades

6 - 8

Subjects

Geography, Physical Geography, Earth Science



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Instructional Links

Mountains are a huge part of our landscape (literally!). They have been there for such a long time that civilizations and country borders have been shaped around them. But what caused the mountains to form in the first place? In this activity, students will use National Geographic MapMaker to explore how mountain ranges form and think about why people choose to settle in high-altitude cities.

By clicking on the link above, educators will find a StoryMap that contains:

  • A MapMaker map, MapMaker: Making Mountains, that the activity relies upon
  • A teacher guide and student activity, available as Open Educational Resources in the form of a Google document or Microsoft format, designed to be adapted as needed
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Last Updated

May 21, 2025

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