Map skills: Latitude and Longitude

EQ: What skills are necessary to find a location on the earth’s surface using a map?

Types of Maps: Physical Special Purpose Political

Physical maps Shows features such as rivers or mountains

Special Purpose Maps or Thematic Maps Shows information about some activity or event.

Political Maps Generally show political or human made divisions of countries or regions

Map Symbols: Compass rose Legend Scale

Compass Rose A device printed on a map or chart showing the points of the compass measured from true magnetic north.

“Never Eat Soggy Waffles” How to Remember… “Never Eat Soggy Waffles”

Explains the lines, symbols, and colors used on a map Legend or Map Key Explains the lines, symbols, and colors used on a map

Scale – often called scale bar. A measuring line helps determine the distance on a map.

Latitude and Longitude: Helps to locate absolute location An exact point on Earth (described by global coordinates). - Reading and plotting points of latitude and longitude is similar to plotting and reading points on a coordinate plane.

In order to understand latitude lines you must first learn about the equator.

Equator Circles the Earth at it’s mid section (like a belt). Measures Zero degrees ( 0⁰ ). Cuts the Earth into northern hemisphere and southern hemisphere.

The Equator

The Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere

Latitude Lines (#1) ·Run east to west (or left to right) Latitude Lines (#1) ·Run east to west (or left to right). ·Measure in degrees north and south of the Equator.

Latitude lines are also called parallels (#6) Latitude lines measure in degrees from the Equator. Starting at the equator: travel “up,” degrees increase and are north (N) Starting at the equator : travel “down,” the degrees increase and are south (S) Latitude lines are also called parallels (#6)

To understand Longitude lines you must learn about the Prime Meridian

Prime Meridian Measures 0⁰ degrees . Runs north to south (or up and down) from the poles and runs through Greenwich, England. Cuts the globe into western hemisphere and eastern hemisphere.

Longitude lines measure east and west of the Prime Meridian (#2) Longitude lines Are also called meridians (#5)

Lines of Longitude (Meridians) Starting at the Prime Meridian: Travel to the left, the number of degrees increase and are WEST. Starting at the Prime Meridian : Travel to the right, the number of degrees increase and are EAST.

By using latitude and longitude lines, we can find Absolute Location By using latitude and longitude lines, we can find Absolute Location!!! Which is the exact place somewhere is on the earth.

Absolute Location means finding the intersection of the latitude and longitude lines.

Review of Five Themes Location: Where something is on the earth’s surface. Absolute and Relative. Place: Characteristics that make a location unique.

Interaction How humans interact with the world. EX”s: Mining, fishing

Movement People, goods and ideas moving from one place to another

Region An area with similar characteristics Ex’s: Desert, American South