EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
The SandBox
Lesson 1 – Basics of Water Flow
1
EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
Lesson 1 – Basics of Water Flow
Lesson Summary:
Students learn about how water flows over topography using
both printed maps and the hands-on Augmented Reality
SandBox toolkit. They first examine a printed map to
determine the direction of flow and then are asked to use the
SandBox to build the same map and answer the questions
again. They use Google Earth to examine the topography and
rivers in their maps region. Then they return together as a
group to provide their answers.
Objectives:
Students will understand how to read a topographic map;
determine how water flows along the landscape and create a
topographically changing landscape with added water flow.
Estimated Time:
45 minutes
Correlation to Alaska Standards
Cultural E-2
Understand the ecology and geography of the bioregion they
inhabit.
Geography A
Make and use maps, globes and graphs to gather, analyze,
and report spatial (geographic) information.
Geography A-6
Use spatial (geographic) tools and technologies to analyze
and develop explanations and solutions to geographic
problems.
Science A-1
Develop an understanding of the processes of science.
Technology A-1
Use a computer to enter and retrieve information.
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EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
BACKGROUND FOR THE TEACHER
Here, the students will be working with you to understand topography along with water flowing
over the landscape. They will learn how the Augmented Reality SandBox toolkit can be used along
with actual topographic maps, known as Digital Raster Graphics (DRG). Understanding topography
and flowing water across the land are critical tools for a student wanting to develop further skills in
map reading, water management and develop skills to be used geography-based classrooms lessons.
To understand topography and water flow, the students will also be learning about up versus down
slope and the difference between flat land versus a steep slope.
The DRG maps will be obtained from the online SwathViewer resource from the Geographic
Information Network of Alaska (GINA, http://sv.gina.alaska.edu/). This tool allows users to search
across Alaska for the best available maps, not just topography, and make a screen capture for
further analysis and print out for the classroom. For this classroom lesson, you can either print out
the DRG maps from online before hand or have the students perform this for themselves in the
lesson.
The Augmented Reality SandBox toolkit is a computer based system for directly interacting with a
topographically changing surface. The toolkit uses ‘white sand’, a Microsoft® Kinetic and
computer programming suite to allow the user to move the sand and see how the topography
changes. This toolkit will be used in the classroom by different groups of students. You will need to
ensure that they are aware of the cost of the equipment and that it is sensitive.
MATERIALS
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Augmented Reality SandBox toolkit
Internet access ready computers
Digital cameras, at least one per group, minimum 3
Google Earth installed on computers
White board for writing up notes from students
One copy of the lesson to each student
Multiple copies of the Google Earth Navigation Resource
Multiple copies of the photo and note taking log sheets, see end of lesson
SwathViewer Java Applet on each computer, if running this section of the lab
Color printer for maps, if running this section of the lab
Pens/Pencils for students to fill out questions and log sheets
Project and PC with internet to show the lesson at the beginning
INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES
Getting Ready

In this lesson, students will be accessing the web for the SwathViewer part of the lab. Then
as a group, they will use the SandBox and then use Google Earth for searching for the river
site. Make sure the SwathViewer Applet and Google Earth are installed.

To model this lesson, you can show them the SwathViewer for how to find a site and make a
screenshot. You can also give them a couple of minute’s demonstration of the SandBox
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EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
along with how to make water flow and make them aware of the sensitivity of the
equipment.
Gear Up
 Ask the students: “Do they know what the term topography means?”
 Ask the students: “Have they used Google Earth for finding a location?”
 Use the white board to draw any answers they provide.
 Explain the set up for the lab.
 Divide the students into Team 1 and 2 and explain the order for each to use the SandBox.
 Model the lesson, with the SwathViewer demo and some time with the SandBox.
Explore
Students work to identify and interpret features.
Generalize
 Have the students shown you each step of their working?
 Did each team provide show their evidence for the direction water will flow?
 Did each student answer the questions at the end?
 Ask the students again “Do they know what the term topography means?”
 Ask the students “Does water flow down slope?”
 Use the white board to write up any answers they provide and compare to answers at the
beginning of the lessons.
TEACHER RESOURCES
In the lesson, the students will make a screen capture of a topographic map. If you want to do this
for them and jump to the Sandbox then use the Appendix material yourself beforehand and have the
maps printed. They will then start at Point 11 and not Point 1.
The sites will have the ability for the students to choose two rivers to look at. One will be NorthSouth and one will be East-West. Below are two examples for you to use.
School/Location
Water Site 1
Water Site 2
Approx.
Latitude
61.803
64.63
Format for
SwathViewer
61°48'11"N
61°48'11"N
Approx.
Longitude
-148.0695
-148.8322
Format for
SwathViewer
148°04'10"W
148°04'10"W
To make a KMZ file, here are the corners to overlay the images
Site
Water Site 1
Water Site 2
Latitude Min [S]
61.5819
64.409
Latitude Max [N]
62.0221
64.8483
Longitude Min [E]
-147.2984
-147.9848
Longitude Max [W]
-148.8526
-149.6945
Google Earth can be installed from: https://www.google.com/earth/
GINA website: http://www.gina.alaska.edu/
SwathViewer website: http://sv.gina.alaska.edu/
Note that this lesson has been designed to use Google Earth. As of February 3,
2015, Google Earth Pro is now free. This lesson can be ran with either version,
however there will be differences with the Save Image feature.
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EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
Name: _________________________
ESPCOR – SandBox Lesson 1
WATER FLOW – BASIC
STUDENT EXERCISE
Directions: In this lesson, you will learn about topography and water flow. You will use the
Augmented Reality SandBox toolkit to build the same map as you will see in printed form. You will
make notes as you build the map in the SandBox and discuss the direction of water flow and how
the topography will influence the direction.
Here, you will be as a group aiming to build your topographic map and your river in the Augmented
Reality SandBox toolkit. You will, as a group, plan out how to make the same topography and river
pattern as seen in your printed map. Your teacher will determine who will go first and second. The
lesson below is written as instructions, read each section carefully. Go to the page for your group.
First go online and view the following YouTube video so you are able to movie the sand to match
the topography.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9JXtTj0mzE
Team 1
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1st : Find their map for the area and river.
2nd : Work in the SandBox.
3rd : Search for river site in Google Earth.
Team 2
-
1st : Find their map for the area and river.
2nd : Search for river site in Google Earth.
3rd : Work in the SandBox.
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EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
Team 1
Explore 1: Making and Reading a Topographic Map with rivers
In each of your groups, make three teams and each team find a computer to use. Have one person be
the navigator, and one person read out the instructions. If more than 2 per group, then swap with
other students so you all get to share.
Downloading Topographic Maps of Your Community
Step A: Start Up the Swath Viewer
1.
Start the Java Applet file, SwathViewer-0.84.jar and select ‘Run’. A virtual globe will appear,
see below.
Figure 1: GINA SwathViewer Global View.
2. You will need to use the Latitude and Longitude information below to search for the location:
Group
No
1
Location
Latitude
Water Site 1
61.803
Copy to
SwathViewer
61°48'11"N
Longitude
-148.0695
Copy to
SwathViewer
148°04'10"W
3. Using the information in the table above, copy the Latitude and Longitude into the
SwathViewer, Change the distance to 50 m and select ‘Go’, see example below.
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EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
Step B: Turn on Topographic Map View
4. In the left hand menu, find the “Images” folder and open (expand). It may already be
expanded. Then click on “Misc.” A second menu will open in the box below and will
display the layers of image and other data available for your selected area Use the scale bar
at the very top to zoom in and out, and it will display imagery that is available (viewable) at
different scales, see below.
Figure 2: Finding the
available data in the
GINA SwathViewer.
5. Using the slider on the right side of this menu scroll down until you find a series of files
starting with “USGS DRG”.
6. You will want to use the 1:63:000-scale map if it is available (USGS DRG 63K). Otherwise
use the 1:63,000-scale map. You can scroll to the right, or hover over each layer to get a
description and more details of each layer, see below.
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EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
Figure 3: GINA SwathViewer’s available DRG data.
7. Be sure to check the box and be sure that the line is highlighted. Your viewing screen should
change from a satellite image to a topographic map of the same area, see example below:
Figure 4: SwathViewer’s with USGS.DRG.63K layer on. Example shown is for the river site.
SHOW THE TEACHER THAT YOU HAVE TURNED ON THE 63K DRG FOR
YOUR GROUPS REGION.
8. Once you are happy that you have the map that you want then you can save the map to the
computer. Once you have the map you wish to save, select the save screen shot tool,
from
the top menu.
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EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
9. Choose a directory to save the file to, Name your file with 25K in title and the location for
your group or the group number.
10. Once you have chosen a map, then if you are ahead go and find the other locations from the
table and carry out the same process to save the image.
ONCE THE TEACHER TELLS YOU THAT ALL GROUPS ARE DONE, THEN TELL
THE TEACHER WHERE THE IMAGE IS SAVED AND THEY WILL PRINT IT OUT.
[YOU MAY HAVE STARTED THE LESSON HERE AND YOUR TEACHER WILL TELL
YOU TO START FROM 11.]
11. Per group, decide the best map to use from those printed. You will want one map per group for
the next sections.
Step C: Determine direction of river flow.
12. Choose one start and end point in the map along a river that is North-South. You will see one
river that flows North-South. You may need to ask your teacher the North-South direction on
your map.
13. Record the direction that you think it will flow.
14. Chose a second start and end point in a different river that is East-West. You will see one river
that flows East-West. You may need to ask your teacher the East-West direction on your map.
15. Record the direction you think it will flow.
SHOW THE TEACHER THAT AS A GROUP YOU DETERMINED THE 2 RIVERS,
ONE THAT IS NORTH-SOUTH AND ONE THAT IS EAST-WEST.
Explore 2: Using the SandBox to build a map [20 mins, 5 per team]
Preparation
16. Divide yourself up so that 1 to 2 people are taking pictures of the group as you build the
topography. These two people will also take notes of the discussions made by those making the
topography in the sand.
SHOW YOUR TEACHER THAT YOU HAVE DIVIDED YOUR GROUP CORRECTLY.
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EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
17. Work with the teacher to start using the SandBox. The tool, see example view below, will
change its topographic map to match the levels of the sand.
Figure 5: GINA Sandbox, showing
landscape as browns and greens and
water as blue’s and white.
Working in the Sand
18. Spend 5 minutes as a group in the SandBox. The aim is to build the closest match to your
topographic map in this time.
19. Decided on River 1 and 2 that you will use.
20. Build the topography for River 1.
21. Make the water flow in the SandBox as seen in Figure 5. You may need to ask the teacher how
to this. You will need to place your hand at the correct height to make ‘blue’ colors occur.
22. Make a record of the direction of the water from River 1 on your maps.
23. Build the topography for River 2.
24. Make the water flow in the SandBox as seen in Figure 5. You may need to ask the teacher how
to this. You will need to place your hand at the correct height to make ‘blue’ colors occur.
25. Make a record of the direction of the water from River 2 on your maps.
26. Those taking photos, record the photo number and what you photographed on the sheet
provided by your teacher.
27. Those taking notes, you will need to record decisions made and use the sheet provided by your
teacher.
AT THE END SHOW YOUR TEACHER THAT YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR
TOPOGRAPHIC MAP AND MADE WATER IN THE SANDBOX.
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EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
28. Take one last photo of the map and one of the team in front of the SandBox. Note how many
photos have been taken. Record this on the photo log sheet.
After Topography has been built
29. Here, you will download the photos that you have taken and name them based on the photo
number from the photo log sheet.
30. Also, you will need to read through the note taking sheet and as a group record the flow
directions for your two rivers. In Explore 4, your teacher will ask the group to list these two
directions.
AT THE END SHOW YOUR TEACHER THAT YOU HAVE DETERMINED THE FLOW
DIRECTION AND ALL PHOTOS ARE OFF THE CAMERA.
Explore 3: Finding your river in Google Earth
31. You will be provided with the Navigation in Google Earth Resource. Please obtain this from
the teacher. Start up Google Earth, as below
Figure 6: Google Earth opening location.
32. Type in location from table below in the ‘Search tool’ e.g.
Group
No
1
Location
Latitude
Water Site 1
61.803
Copy to
SwathViewer
61°48'11"N
11
Longitude
-148.0695
Copy to
SwathViewer
148°04'10"W
EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
33. Click the ‘Search’ button. Google Earth will fly to the region below.
Figure 7: Google Earth zoom location for river site.
34. Use the navigation tool on the right to zoom out until you see the region below.
Figure 8: Google Earth second zoomed out location for river site.
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EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
35. Find your two rivers. You will use the base image and printed maps to find the river.
36. Move around Google Earth to see your two rivers and determine the directions water will flow.
37. You can tilt in Google Earth to get the following view:
River 1
River 2
Figure 9: Google Earth tilted location for river site.
38. Use the instructions in this resource to search for your site in Google Earth and save an image
as a screenshot.
AT THE END SHOW YOUR TEACHER THAT YOU HAVE MADE THE SCREENSHOT.
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EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
Team 2
Explore 1: Making and Reading a Topographic Map with rivers
In each of your groups, make three teams and each team find a computer to use. Have one person be
the navigator, and one person read out the instructions. If more than 2 per group, then swap with
other students so you all get to share.
Downloading Topographic Maps of Your Community
Step A: Start Up the Swath Viewer
1. Start the Java Applet file, SwathViewer-0.84.jar and select ‘Run’. A virtual globe will
appear, see below.
Figure 1: GINA SwathViewer Global View.
2. You will need to use the Latitude and Longitude information below to search for the
location:
Group
No
2
Location
Latitude
Water Site 2
64.63
Copy to
SwathViewer
61°48'11"N
Longitude
-148.8322
Copy to
SwathViewer
148°04'10"W
3. Using the information in the table above, copy the Latitude and Longitude into the
SwathViewer, Change the distance to 20 m and select ‘Go’, see example below.
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EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
Step B: Turn on Topographic Map View
4. In the left hand menu, find the “Images” folder and open (expand). It may already be
expanded. Then click on “Misc.” A second menu will open in the box below and will
display the layers of image and other data available for your selected area Use the scale bar
at the very top to zoom in and out, and it will display imagery that is available (viewable) at
different scales, see below.
Figure 2: Finding the
available data in the
GINA SwathViewer.
5. Using the slider on the right side of this menu scroll down until you find a series of files
starting with “USGS DRG”.
6. You will want to use the 1:63:000-scale map if it is available (USGS DRG 63K). Otherwise
use the 1:63,000-scale map. You can scroll to the right, or hover over each layer to get a
description and more details of each layer, see below.
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EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
Figure 3: GINA SwathViewer’s available DRG data.
7. Be sure to check the box and be sure that the line is highlighted. Your viewing screen
should change from a satellite image to a topographic map of the same area, see example
below:
Figure 4: SwathViewer’s with USGS.DRG.63K layer on. Example shown is for the river site.
SHOW THE TEACHER THAT YOU HAVE TURNED ON THE 63K DRG FOR
YOUR GROUPS REGION.
8. Once you are happy that you have the map that you want then you can save the map to the
computer. Once you have the map you wish to save, select the save screen shot tool,
from the top menu.
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EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
9. Choose a directory to save the file to, Name your file with 25K in title and the location for
your group or the group number.
10. Once you have chosen a map, then if you are ahead go and find the other locations from the
table and carry out the same process to save the image.
ONCE THE TEACHER TELLS YOU THAT ALL GROUPS ARE DONE, THEN TELL
THE TEACHER WHERE THE IMAGE IS SAVED AND THEY WILL PRINT IT OUT.
[YOU MAY HAVE STARTED THE LESSON HERE AND YOUR TEACHER WILL TELL
YOU TO START FROM 11.]
11. Per group, decide the best map to use from those printed. You will want one map per group
for the next sections.
Step C: Determine direction of river flow.
12. Choose one start and end point in the map along a river that is North-South. You will see
one river that flows North-South. You may need to ask your teacher the North-South
direction on your map.
13. Record the direction that you think it will flow.
14. Chose a second start and end point in a different river that is East-West. You will see one
river that flows East-West. You may need to ask your teacher the East-West direction on
your map.
15. Record the direction you think it will flow.
SHOW THE TEACHER THAT AS A GROUP YOU DETERMINED THE 2 RIVERS,
ONE THAT IS NORTH-SOUTH AND ONE THAT IS EAST-WEST.
Explore 2: Finding your river in Google Earth
16. You will be provided with the Navigation in Google Earth Resource. Please obtain this from
the teacher. Start up Google Earth, as below
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EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
Figure 5: Google Earth opening location.
17. Type in location from table below in the ‘Search tool’ e.g.
Group
No
2
Location
Latitude
Water Site 2
64.63
Copy to
SwathViewer
61°48'11"N
Longitude
-148.8322
18. Click the ‘Search’ button. Google Earth will fly to the region below.
Figure 6: Google Earth zoom location for river site.
18
Copy to
SwathViewer
148°04'10"W
EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
19. Use the navigation tool on the right to zoom out until you see the region below.
Figure 7: Google Earth second zoomed out location for river site.
20. Find your two rivers. You will use the base image and printed maps to find the river.
21. Move around Google Earth to see your two rivers and determine the directions water will
flow.
22. You can tilt in Google Earth to get the following view:
River 1
River 2
Figure 8: Google Earth tilted location for river site.
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EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
23. Use the instructions in this resource to search for your site in Google Earth and save an
image as a screenshot.
AT THE END SHOW YOUR TEACHER THAT YOU HAVE MADE THE SCREENSHOT.
Explore 3: Using the SandBox to build a map [20 mins, 5 per team]
Preparation
24. Divide yourself up so that 1 to 2 people are taking pictures of the group as you build the
topography. These two people will also take notes of the discussions made by those making
the topography in the sand.
SHOW YOUR TEACHER THAT YOU HAVE DIVIDED YOUR GROUP CORRECTLY.
25. Work with the teacher to start using the SandBox. The tool, see example view below, will
change its topographic map to match the levels of the sand.
Figure 9: GINA Sandbox, showing
landscape as browns and greens and
water as blue’s and white.
Working in the Sand
26. Spend 5 minutes as a group in the SandBox. The aim is to build the closest match to your
topographic map in this time.
27. Decided on River 1 and 2 that you will use.
28. Build the topography for River 1.
29. Make the water flow in the SandBox as seen in Figure 9. You may need to ask the teacher
how to this. You will need to place your hand at the correct height to make ‘blue’ colors
occur.
30. Make a record of the direction of the water from River 1 on your maps.
31. Build the topography for River 2.
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EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
32. Make the water flow in the SandBox as seen in Figure 9. You may need to ask the teacher
how to this. You will need to place your hand at the correct height to make ‘blue’ colors
occur.
33. Make a record of the direction of the water from River 2 on your maps.
34. Those taking photos, record the photo number and what you photographed on the sheet
provided by your teacher.
35. Those taking notes, you will need to record decisions made and use the sheet provided by
your teacher.
AT THE END SHOW YOUR TEACHER THAT YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR
TOPOGRAPHIC MAP AND MADE WATER IN THE SANDBOX.
36. Take one last photo of the map and one of the team in front of the SandBox. Note how many
photos have been taken. Record this on the photo log sheet.
After Topography has been built
37. Here, you will download the photos that you have taken and name them based on the photo
number from the photo log sheet.
38. Also, you will need to read through the note taking sheet and as a group record the flow
directions for your two rivers. In Explore 4, your teacher will ask the group to list these two
directions.
AT THE END SHOW YOUR TEACHER THAT YOU HAVE DETERMINED THE FLOW
DIRECTION AND ALL PHOTOS ARE OFF THE CAMERA.
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EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
Explore 4: Comparing maps and understanding water flow across the land [5 mins]
Here, your teacher will bring you back together as a class.
Sit together in your groups and decide who will write the information on the board.
What direction did your North-South river flow and what direction did you East-West river flow?
Once you are asked by your teacher to finish of the Lesson then answer the following questions:
1. How does slope help the speed of water flow?
2. How can by reading contours can you determine the flow direction?
SHOW TO YOUR TEACHER THAT YOU HAVE ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS
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EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
TEACHERS RESOURCES
PHOTO LOG SHEET
AND
NOTE TAKING SHEET
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EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
Photograph Log Sheet
Photo No:
Items photographed:
Photo No:
Items photographed:
Photo No:
Items photographed:
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EPSCoR – SandBox Lesson 1
Water Flow - Basic
Note Taking Log Sheet
Note No:
Item Discussion
and Decisions
made:
Note No:
Item Discussion
and Decisions
made:
Note No:
Item Discussion
and Decisions
made:
1