Mapping our Physical Environment Where are we, anyway?

In this activity you will: Learn about the elements of a map: latitude, longitude, the hemispheres, directions, time zone, scale, and map legends.

Latitude and Longitude Copy The earth is divided into lots of lines called latitude and longitude.

Lines Longitude lines run north and south. copy Longitude lines run north and south. Latitude lines run east and west. The lines measure distances in degrees. Latitude Longitude

Where is 0 degree latitude? copy Where is 0 degree latitude? The equator is 0 degree latitude. It is an imaginary belt that runs halfway point between the North Pole and the South Pole. Equator

Where is 0 degree longitude? copy Where is 0 degree longitude? The Prime Meridian is a line drawn from north to south. It travels through the town of Greenwich, England.

We will be discussing maps as large scale or small scale We will be discussing maps as large scale or small scale. To remember the difference between large and small scale, you must think of the amount of detail involved.

copy A small scale map, such as provincial road map, shows a small amount of detail…

Street Maps copy …while a large scale map, like a street map, show a lot of detail.

So Remember… Large scale = large detail Small scale = small detail copy Large scale = large detail Small scale = small detail

Satellite Image Maps copy These are taken from a satellite hundreds of km away. They are used to show physical and cultural features.

Physical Features copy These are things like rivers and mountains. They are features that are caused by nature. They are NOT man made.

copy Cultural Features Things like buildings, schools, roads, etc – anything made by man, or showing the imprint of human activity.

Activity On your laptops, go to www.keyhole.com. Find the link called Get Google Earth. Save this program to your desktop. In the shared file, you will find the GoogleEarth activity. Please do this activity in a Word Document.

Topographic Maps Topographic maps are drawn in smaller scale than a street map. They use legends, lines and colour codes to show things like elevation, highways, developments like campsites, etc.

Hemispheres By using the equator and prime meridian, we can divide the world into four hemispheres, north, south, east, and west.

Reading Lat and long Latitude and longitude are measured in degrees. Because the Earth is a sphere, a trip around the world, starting and ending in the same place, would cover 360 degrees. Question … how many degrees would be covered if you traveled from the equator to the north ple?

Reading Lat and Long From the equator, the globe’s lines of latitude increase in degrees until they stop at the north and south poles.

Something to think about… The Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn are both measured at 23.5 degrees of latitude, but they lie on different sides of the Equator. What word could you add to their reading to describe their locations? Tropic of Cancer = 23.5 degrees NORTH latitude. Tropic of Capricorn=23.5 degrees SOUTH latitude

Something to think about… How would you describe two locations measured at equal distances, but on opposite sides of the Prime Meridian?

Reading Lat and Long Lines of lat and long are useful when looking for large areas on a map or globe. But what if you were looking for a more specific location like a highway, or park?

Each degree of latitude and longitude is divided into 60 sections called minutes. This allows us to pinpoint specific locations more accurately. To get even more specific, each minute is divided into 60 … seconds. Take a look at the location for a building in Fredericton.

Activity In the Grade 8 Social Studies Shared File, you will find a document called Mapping Activity. Open it up. Have fun. You may do this in your notebook.

Compass A compass is a tool that helps the user know what direction one is headed. On a map, a compass or a compass rose helps the user locate these directions.

Scale Maps are made to scale; that is, there is a direct connection between a unit of measurement on the map and the actual distance. For example, each inch on the map represents one mile on Earth. So, a map of a town would show a mile-long strip of fast food joints and auto dealers in one inch.

Time Zones The Earth is divided into 24 time zones, corresponding to 24 hours in a day. As the earth rotates, the sun shines in different areas, moving from east to west during the course of a day. Places that have the same longitude will be in the same time zone.

Map Legends The legend is the key to unlocking the secrets of a map. Objects or colors in the legend represent something on the map. Religions Legend

Age Expectancy Legend

Sites to visit Look up Latitude and Longitude for US Cities Maps and Map Skills Degrees, Latitude, & Longitude Worksheet Latitude and Longitude Map (lesson plan) Scale Time Zones Anchors Aweigh (a map adventure) Map Quiz Make Your Own Map Topography Maps U. S. Map Collection GeoSpy Game Globe Projector GeoGame