Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Contour Line Detective: Free Printable Quiz for Year 7
- ForYear 7
- StageKey Stage 3
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Contour Line Detective is a free printable geography quiz for Year 7 (ages 11 to 12), in Key Stage 3. Children read a case file about Mia's walk on Raven Hill. Then they crack each clue by reading contour lines and using evidence to work out which route she took.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. It is two A4 pages. Give page 1 to the child and keep page 2 for the grown up. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children start with a case file about Mia and Raven Hill. They then work through multiple choice questions with three answers each, mark statements as they go, and unscramble two detective words. Every task asks them to look closely at contour patterns, think about the shape of the land and use evidence to deduce which route was walked. Page 2 holds the notes and answers for the grown up.
- Contour lines packed close together show what?
- Which route did Mia walk?
- Rings of contour lines getting smaller towards the middle show what?
What is a contour line?
A contour line is a line on a map that joins places at the same height above sea level. If you could walk along one on the real hillside, you would stay at the same height all the way. Ordnance Survey maps, which many walkers in Britain use, show hills with contour lines. The map key explains how to read them.
Contour lines turn a flat sheet of paper into a picture of the land. The pattern of the lines, and the gaps between them, tell a map reader about relief, which is the shape of the land. A good map reader does not guess. They look for evidence in the lines, then explain what it shows. A detective thinks in just the same way.
Quick contour facts
- A contour line joins places that are the same height above sea level.
- On a normal map, contour lines do not cross each other.
- Many maps print a height number on some of the contour lines.
- Ben Nevis in Scotland is the highest mountain in the UK.
Skills and curriculum link
- Reading contour lines
- Describing slope
- Using evidence to deduce
- Reading a hill map
- Explaining a reason
Ideas to help you guide the sheet
- Same heightEvery point on one contour line is at the same height. Ask your child what that means for someone who walks along a line.
- Use the keyMaps have a key. Check it for what the lines and numbers mean before judging any hill.
- Gaps matterThe space between lines is a clue. Ask your child to compare the gaps in different parts of the map before they choose an answer.
- Evidence firstBefore you accept any answer, ask, "What on the map tells you that?" A reason is worth more than a quick pick.
Key words
- Contour lineA line on a map joining places at the same height above sea level.
- ReliefThe shape of the land, including its height and how it rises and falls.
- SlopeHow much the ground tilts up or down.
- EvidenceInformation you can point to that supports your answer.
- DeduceWork something out from the clues you have, rather than guessing.
- Cross sectionA drawing of the land as if it had been sliced down through, seen from the side.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the child. Keep page 2 for the grown up.
- Read the case file together first. Ask your child to say in their own words what the detective needs to find out.
- Work through the quiz, mark the statements and unscramble the two detective words. Ask for a reason with every choice.
- Check against the notes and answers on page 2. Talk about any wrong answers and what clue was missed.
- Come back another day and try the stretch or game idea. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Draw a quick steep hill and a gentle hill side by side. Mark where contour lines would sit on each one. Ask which hill would have lines close together and which would have them far apart. Then look back at the map on the sheet.
To stretch confident children
Sketch a cross section of Raven Hill along Mia's route. Label the steep parts and the flat parts. Add a short sentence under each label that names the contour clue you used to decide.
Make it a game
Invent a new route and a short diary for a partner, without saying which route it is. Your partner reads the diary, studies the map and names the route you walked. They must give one piece of evidence.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child treats a contour line as a path that goes up the hill.
Try thisTrace one line slowly with a finger and say, "Every point here is the same height." Then ask where a path would have to cross lines to climb.
Watch forA child picks a route from the diary alone and never checks the map.
Try thisUnderline the key clue in the diary. Find the matching place on the map, then check that the contour pattern agrees.
Watch forA child mixes up high and low ground.
Try thisLook for height numbers on the lines or in the key. Find two numbers and ask which is higher, then see where the higher one sits on the map.
Talk about it
- What does a contour line tell you that a normal drawing of a hill would not?
- How can you tell, from the map alone, that one part of the hill is different from another?
- Which clue in the case file was the most useful, and why?
- If you walked along one contour line, what would happen to your height?
- Would you want to carry a heavy bag along Mia's route? Use the map to explain.
- How would you describe Raven Hill to a friend who has never seen the map?
Take it off the page
Layered hill model
Draw the outline of a hill on card, then draw smaller outlines inside it. Cut them out and stack them from largest to smallest. Look down from above and compare the view with a contour map.
Slope spotting walk
On a local walk, look for steep and gentle ground. Sketch what you see and say where contour lines would be close together or far apart if the place were on a map.
Sand or soil hill
Shape a hill in a tray of sand or soil. Look straight down on it and sketch the rings you would draw. Then change the hill and sketch it again.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first read of the case file, then let them lead. Ask for reasons, not just answers. If they get stuck, try the quick hill drawing from page 2 before looking at the answers.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or supply cover. It supports the map skills strand of Key Stage 3 geography, including interpreting maps. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider geography plan. It pairs well with a real Ordnance Survey map of your area and a local walk. Use the game idea with brothers and sisters, or return to the sheet later for revision.
Where this skill fits
Before this sheet, children usually meet maps through symbols, keys, direction and grid references. They learn that a map is a drawing of a place from above. Contour lines add something new, because they show height as well as position.
After this, children can move on to using contour patterns with other map skills, such as describing landscapes and drawing cross sections. These skills return in later geography study and in fieldwork, where reading the shape of the land helps explain what is found there.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Contour Line Detective for?
It is written for Year 7 (ages 11 to 12), in Key Stage 3. It can also work as revision for older pupils who want practice reading contour lines, or as a challenge for confident younger map readers.
- What will children practise?
Children practise reading contour patterns to judge slope and relief. They also use evidence to deduce a route on a hill map. They explain their thinking as well as choose answers.
- Do children need an Ordnance Survey map?
No. Everything needed is on page 1 of the sheet. A real map is a good extra, though. Looking at contour lines near your home helps children link the sheet to real places.
- What if my child finds it too hard?
Start by drawing a steep hill and a gentle hill side by side. Mark where the contour lines would sit on each. Then go back to the case file and read it together, one clue at a time.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters, other classes or revision later on.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has support and stretch ideas for mixed groups.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it suits quiet time, rainy days and school holidays. Black and white printing on plain A4 paper works well.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.