Introduction - Geography - Investigating Walls

Globe in Rassmussen Library, University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

The geography of walls ranges from the scale of backyards to that of the entire globe.

BACKGROUND

The book Exploring StoneWalls contains two full chapters on stone wall geography. They vary with the landscape depending on

• The state they occur in (or parts of states), which relate to certain geological rock units.
• The topography, with high-elevation walls differing from those in the valley.
• The layout, extending outwaard from the cellar hole, barn foundation, gardens and yards, fields, pastures, and boundary markers.

ACTIVITIES:

Mapping: Have them make a map of the stone walls in some park. All they need is a compass for direction and count paces for distance.

Global Geography: If they find a picture of a stone wall in one of their textbooks, have them compare iti to one in their region.

Understanding local walls. Using the locator map from Exploring Stone Walls as a guide, and the color maps of bedrock type, glacial process, and land use history available on the internet, have them compare what ACTUALLY IS THERE with what SHOULD BE THERE, based on the maps.

Back to Investigations.