Map Skills

Living in the World ► Geographers study the relationships between people and their world. ► Topography and climate influence where and how people live.

Moving Through the World ► People move to different areas of the world for many different reasons. ► Movement can affect people and cultures.

Looking at the World ► Geographers divide the world into regions. ► Regions are areas that have similar characteristics, but are different from other surrounding areas.

Understanding a Map ► Mapmakers and geographers use scale to show distance on a map. ► Mapmakers and geographers use an imaginary grid to locate places on a map.

The Content of a Map ► Cartographers, or mapmakers, use symbols to communicate information on a map. ► Cartographers use insets, or small maps within another map, to show information about a smaller area.

Maps for Different Purposes ► Different types of maps show different kinds of information. ► Cartographers must decide what information to include and how to show it.

The Shape of the Earth ► Cartographers must decide how to show the earth’s curved shape on a flat map. ► Cartographers developed different types of map projections, or ways to show the earth’s curved surface. ► Some map projections distort the shape of the land and water.

Mapping the Past & Exploring the World ► People expand their geographic knowledge through movement. ► One reason for movement is trade. ► Trade helped people in the past learn about other cultures.

Learning about the World ► As people in the past traveled, they recorded geographic and cultural information. ► Explorers and traders drew maps to record knowledge from their travels. ► Information from early explorers and traders helped cartographers improve their maps. ► Information from early explorers and traders helps us learn about life in the past.