Activity 1: World Grid Systems
| Activity Goal | To learn how to use a grid system on a world map. Grids are used to help people find places on a map. |
| Materials Needed: | A pencil and a Cram World map (see end of this activity). |
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The map included with this activity shows a world map with points of interest and cities.
If you are not familiar with a world map, it would be difficult to find a particular place.
The addition of a location finding system makes it easier to find specific places.
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This location finding system is called a map grid.
A world map grid is a series of lines that cross each other to form boxes.
Sometimes the lines are straight and sometimes the lines are curved.
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On many world grids the vertical columns are identified by a letter and the horizontal rows are numbered.
Every area within this grid can be identified by a letter and a number.
As an example, the "X" on the world map grid above is located in the square where row 3 crosses column C.
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Look at the grid on the world map at the end of this activity.
The vertical columns are identified by the letters A to L.
The horizontal rows are numbered 1 to 6.
Every area on the map can be identified by a specific letter and number.
As an example, the location of D 4 refers to the box where column D crosses row 4.
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Map grids are often used with a place name index.
A place name index is a list of names found on the map.
The world map at the end of the activity has a place name index for cities.
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Imagine that you need to find the city of Jakarta.
First find it on the city place name index.
The list shows the location of Jakarta as J 4.
Find the place on the map where column J crosses row 4, Jakarta is located in this box.
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This is only a "rough" location, because the J 4 location forms a box which you must search to find the city.
However, it is quicker than searching the entire world to find Jakarta.
Practice using the grid system by finding other cities in the place name index.
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??? Find each of the following places listed in the place name index on the world map.
Determine its grid location.
Record your answer in the space provided.
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Note of caution: A map grid may be created only for the map on which it appears. If someone else asks about a location, they need the same map you used to find the grid location.
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World Map Lesson
Activity 2: Latitude on World Maps
| Activity Goal | To use the latitude part of the global grid system to find places on the world map. |
| Materials Needed: | A pencil and a Cram World map. |
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A global grid system is used to locate places on a map.
To understand the global grid system, some basic facts about the Earth must be understood.
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The Earth is a sphere, or a round ball (not perfectly round, but that only matters to scientists).
The Earth spins, or rotates, on an imaginary axis. This imaginary axis passes through the center of the Earth.
It emerges from the Earth's surface at 2 points, the North Pole and the South Pole.
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These 2 poles are also 2 of the cardinal (major) directions, north and south.
North is towards the North Pole.
South is towards the South Pole.
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The direction in which the Earth rotates (or turns) defines the other 2 cardinal directions, east and west.
The Earth rotates from the west to the east.
East is to your right side as you face the North Pole.
West is to your left side as you face the North Pole.
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The Equator is an imaginary line that completely circles the Earth.
It is part of the global grid system.
It is halfway between the North Pole and the South Pole.
The Equator runs east and west.
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Other imaginary lines also run to the east and west.
These lines are called parallels of latitude.
The lines can be called just parallels or just latitudes.
These lines are called parallels because they run parallel to the Equator.
The Equator and other parallels of latitude are one half of the global grid system.
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Each parallel is numbered to show how far it is north or south from the Equator.
This numbering system is measured in degrees.
The symbol for degrees is °.
There are 90 degrees between the Equator and each pole.
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Moving north from the Equator, parallels of latitude are numbered from zero degrees (0°) at the Equator to 90 degrees north (90° N) at the North Pole. For example, 20° N refers to the parallel that is 20 degrees north of the Equator.
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Moving south from the Equator, parallels of latitude are numbered from zero degrees (0°) at the Equator to 90 degrees south (90° S) at the South Pole. For example, 40° S refers to the parallel that is 40 degrees south of the Equator. Remember, latitude measures the distance north and south from the Equator.
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??? Use a world map to help you find the answer to the following questions.
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Trace the Equator (0° latitude) from the east (right side) to the west (left side) of the world map.
List the oceans and continents that the Equator runs through.
Write your answers in order (one ocean will be listed twice).
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??? Locate the cities listed below on the world map. Then identify the parallel of latitude that is closest to the city. Write the answer in the space provided.
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World Map Lesson
Activity 3: Longitude on World Maps
| Activity Goal | To use the longitude part of the global grid system to find places on the world map. |
| Materials Needed: | A pencil and a Cram World map. |
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The other half of the global grid system are the meridians of longitude.
Meridians of longitude are imaginary lines that run from the North Pole to the South Pole. A north and south line can be called just meridian or just longitude. Meridians of longitude are not parallel to each other. One special meridian is called the Prime Meridian. The Prime Meridian is the meridian that passes through the town of Greenwich, England, which is near London.
As you move east from the Prime Meridian, each meridian of longitude is numbered from 0° to 180° E. As an example, 15° E is the meridian that is 15 degrees to the east of the Prime Meridian. As you move west from the Prime Meridian, each meridian of longitude is numbered from 0° to 180° W. As an example, 95° W which is the meridian that is 95 degrees to the west of the Prime Meridian. Find the Prime Meridian on the world map. Notice that the Prime Meridian does not touch the North Pole. In fact, the poles do not appear on the map. This often happens on world maps. Sometimes when a spherical object (the Earth) is drawn on a flat surface (a world map), the poles do not show. The upper left and right corners of the world map show special round maps showing the North and South Pole areas. Find the 180° meridian near the east edge (right side) of the world map. The 180° meridian of longitude is the joining line for the longitude lines running east and west from the Prime Meridian (0°). The 180° meridian of longitude and the Prime Meridian are on opposite sides of the Earth. ??? Use the world map to help find an answer to these questions. Trace the Prime Meridian from the south (bottom) to the north (top) of the map. List the countries that the Prime Meridian runs through (or just barely touches) from south to north in the spaces provided below.
??? Locate each of the five cities listed below on the world map. Then identify the meridian of longitude that is closest to the city. Write the answer in the space provided, and be sure to note if it is east or west of the Prime Meridian.
??? Find the 90° E meridian on the world map. 90° E refers to the meridian that is 90 degrees east of the Prime Meridian. List the countries that the 90° E meridian runs through from the south to the north.
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World Map Lesson
Activity 4: The Global Grid System
| Activity Goal | To use the global grid system of latitude and longitude to find specific locations on a world map. |
| Materials Needed: | A pencil, a ruler, and a Cram World map. |
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The global grid system uses both the parallels of latitude and the meridian of longitude.
When giving a location in latitude and longitude, latitude is always first.
As an example, the location for New Orleans is 30° N, 90° W.
This is read as 30 degrees north latitude, and 90 degrees west longitude.
Timbuktu is a city in the country of Mali and was a major trading and learning center of several ancient African empires. How would you locate this city if it is not exactly at the intersection of a latitude and longitude line? The city of Timbuktu is located by estimating where a place is in relation to the grid lines that do appear on the map. Timbuktu's location is 17° N, 3° W. In order to find Timbuktu on the map of western Africa, you might think to yourself . . .
B. Now the longitude, which is 3° W. That is just a little to the west (left) of the Prime Meridian (0°). So I will draw a meridian of longitude a little less than 1/3 the way from the Prime Meridian (0°) to the 15° W line. I only need to draw this longitude line where it crosses the latitude line I drew before. C. Timbuktu should be located very close to the intersection of the two lines I drew. There it is, just north of the Niger River in the country of Mali. ??? Use the map above for this exercise. First use your pencil and ruler to draw in the latitude and longitude lines for the locations listed below. Write in the city that is located at the intersection of the lines you have drawn.
??? After a little practice, you can estimate where the line would be without drawing it. Use the world map and write the name of the city or the country in the space provided.
Sometimes you know where a city is located, but you want to be able to tell someone else how to find it on a map. You can do this by telling them the latitude and longitude of the place. You can use the following procedure to report the approximate locations of places.
 Imagine that you need to report the latitude and longitude location of Lagos, Nigeria. A. Here is Lagos . . . I want to estimate the latitude first. Lagos is about 2/3 of the way from the Equator (0°) to the 10°N latitude line. I estimate it to be about 7° N. B. Now for longitude. Lagos is about 1/3 the way from the Prime Meridian (0°) to 15° E longitude line. I figure that is about 5° E. C. My estimate is that Lagos, Nigeria is located at about 7° N, 5° E. ??? Use the Africa map above to locate the listed cities, and write the latitude and longitude in the space provided.
??? Use the world map to locate the listed cities, and write the latitude and longitude in the space provided.
The latitude and longitude information listed below can be found on Cram's Explorer World wall maps in the central Atlantic Ocean area;
EQUATOR: (0° latitude) is half way between the North and South poles.
There are five latitude and longitude location examples shown on the main map. The
The island examples are; |
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World Map Lesson
Activity 5: World Projections, Distance, and the North Pole
| Activity Goal | To identify map projections and features, map scales and distances, and polar maps. |
| Materials Needed: | A pencil and a Cram World map. |
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A flat (2 dimensional) world map represents the Earth, which is a 3 dimensional sphere. A globe is the most accurate representation of the Earth because both are spheres. However, a flat world map can be easier to use. You can see the Earth's entire surface on a map. Also, maps are larger and therefore easier to read and locate places.
When changing from a globe to a flat map, distortions will occur. The globe shows four features accurately: shape, size, distance, and direction. At the most, a flat world map can only keep one of these features accurate, with the other three features being distorted. Some world maps make compromises, with some features shown more accurately than others. Distortions on world maps are most obvious near the north and south polar areas, and are least noticeable at the equator. Compare the size and shape of Greenland on a globe and a world map to see an example of distortion.
Most maps will show a measurement of distance called scale. On world maps, this measurement of distance is usually only accurate at the equator or along individual lines of latitude. Distance measurements in a diagonal or vertical direction are less reliable.
??? 2. Check the scale on the world map at the bottom on the left side. Write it down. Note that it is Equatorial Scale. This means it is only accurate at the equator. The further from the equator you go, the more inaccurate the scale becomes.
3. Now measure the length of the Equator on the world map in inches.
4. To find out the circumference of the world at the Equator, (distance around the world
at the Equator), multiple the scale by the length of the Equator.
Since scale becomes more inaccurate as you move closer to the North and South Poles, special polar maps are used to show the north and south polar areas. Polar maps are equal-distance projections. The maps show a scale bar and a statement, "scale true along the meridians". This means that the measurement of distance is accurate when measured outward from the North or South Pole only. The North Pole is the joining point of all longitude lines, and is called the "True" North Pole. The True North and True South Poles are also the location of the axis on which the Earth rotates. The location of the North and South Poles are only stated as latitude, 90 degrees north latitude, or 90 degrees south latitude.
The North Magnetic Pole is the location where a compass points. It is separate from the "True" North Pole mentioned above. The North Magnetic Pole is located near the northern Canadian island of Ellef Ringnes. The North Magnetic Pole actually moves very slowly, perhaps 5 miles a year.
??? 5. What is the present latitude and longitude location of the Magnetic North Pole? |
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World Map Lesson
Activity 6: Physical Legends and Map Symbols
| Activity Goal | To identify and use the legend and map symbols. |
| Materials Needed: | A pencil and a Cram Physical World map. |
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You should check the legend of each map before you use it. The legend will tell you what type of information can be found on the map and which symbols are used to represent that information. Many maps will use the same standard symbols, but the symbols can change from map to map. Some maps will have more than one legend.
A point symbol, such as a circle, square, or a small diagram, represents a specific place on the map. Cities are a commonly shown as a point symbol. Other point symbols include dams, waterfalls, or mountain peaks. ??? Use the world map legend and world map to answer the following questions.
A line symbol represents a map feature that has the characteristic of length. Rivers and boundaries are commonly shown as line symbols. The map shows many country boundaries, but few continent boundaries because continents are mostly separated by water. In fact, Australia and Antarctica do not touch any other continents. The boundaries are shown in red so that it is easier to see the physical map's elevation colors. ??? Use the world map legend and world map to answer the following questions.
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World Map Lesson
Activity 7: Type as a Symbol
| Activity Goal | To identify the meaning of type on any map. |
| Materials Needed: | None. No exercises included. |
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Type can be shown in many different ways to help make it different from other type. Some of the type differences are shown here;
The way in which these differences can be combined into a unique "look" is called a font.
Mapmakers use many fonts on a map to help identify different features.
The way fonts are used effects the overall appearance of the map.
Examples of different fonts are;
Different characteristics of type could be arranged on a map similar to this; A quick way to become familiar with how type is used on a map is to look at an area you know, such as the United States. As an example, notice how United States appears on the world map. Though small countries will have smaller type, all countries should have the same style of country type; black, straight and bold letters shown in capitals. Check out the "look" of cities, capitals, rivers, mountains, and other features. |
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World Map Lesson
Activity 8: Land Elevations
| Activity Goal | To identify and use the elevation colors on the physical world map. |
| Materials Needed: | A pencil and a Cram Physical World map. |
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A physical map shows colors based on the elevation of the land above sea level.
There is a standard set of colors used to show elevations, starting with greens for the lowlands, changing to yellow for middle elevations, and turning to orange and brown for highlands.
The Physical Explorer World map's elevation colors are as follows;
??? Use the legend and the world map to answer the following questions. 1. The highest mountain in the world is located between India and China, in the country of Nepal. What is the name of the mountain? ____________________________________ Note: the mountain's elevation was adjusted in the year 2000; it was 29,028 feet, and has been changed to 29,035 feet. 2. Based on elevation colors, is Japan mostly (1) a low and flat country, or (2) a high and mountainous country? ____________________________________ 3. The green area around the Amazon River contains the largest rain forest in the world. The Amazon River empties into the Atlantic Ocean, but starts in the dark brown region to the west. What is the name of this mountain range? ____________________________________ 4. Locate the large, brown area in China labeled as the Plateau of Tibet (also known as the "Roof of the World"). Name six major rivers that drain from this region.
5. Find the Ural Mountains that divide Europe and Asia. Describe the type of landform which surrounds these mountains? ____________________________________ ____________________________________ 6. Name the mountain range in Mongolia (between Russia and China) that is over 5,000 feet in elevation. ____________________________________
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Answer Sheet for World Map Lessons for Gr. 6-up
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Activity 1: World Grid Systems
Activity 6: Physical Legends and Map Symbols
Activity 7: Type as a Symbol
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