In this hands-on activity, students map the topography of a hidden surface using an analog atomic force microscope (A-AFM) made from a cardboard box and mailing tubes. Varying numbers of ping pong balls inside the tubes mimic atoms on a surface. Students use a dowel to make macroscale measurements similar to those of a nanoscale AFM tip as it scans a surface during imaging, and then they build a three dimensional model of the hidden surface. This laboratory is targeted for middle school students, though it readily can be modified for grades K-12. (Contains 4 figures.)