Topographic Mystery Boxes

Students use a toothpick marked every 1 cm to map out the mystery landforms. From this mapping, they create a simple topographic map and match their mystery maps with virtual landforms.

These models include 4 different landforms labeled 1-4 (and printed in different colors if desired) as well as covers with a 5x5 grid of holes. The two halves could be glued together for a permanent mystery or held together using 4mmx2mm magnets. The magnet holes are quite tight but can be inserted with a vice or pliers.

A standard round toothpick or 3D printed toothpick could be used as a probe and the toothpick painter files can be used to color the toothpick into 1 cm segments using colorful sharpies. For ease of marking, taping the painter to the edge of a table allows the toothpick to be marked with one hand while rotated with the other.