1. Aim: Why is the coordinate system important?
Kickoff: Write down everything you know about Latitude:
Longitude:
Equator:

2. Can you Sink my Battleship?
72°W
73°W
74°W
75°W
76°W
77°W
78°W
79°W
80°W
81°W
42° N
43° N
44° N
45° N
46° N
47° N
48° N
49° N
Can you Sink my Battleship?
Can you Sink my Cruiser?
Aircraft Carrier
Battleship
Cruiser
Destroyer
Submarine

3. How do you describe a coordinate system?
Coordinate system: is a system that uses a grid of imaginary lines to locate any position on earth (Latitude and Longitude)
Compass

4. How do we define lines of latitude?
Lines of Latitude: distance in degrees north or south of the equator 0º (reference line)
Also called parallels (lines that never touch)
Equator separates the northern and southern hemisphere
Run east to west but are labeled North or South
Measure from 90ºN to 0º to 90ºS
Latitude “Fatitude”

5. Identify the important Lines of LatitudeB
Equator = 0º
Antarctic Circle = 66.5ºS F
Tropic of Cancer = 23.5ºN D
North Pole = 90ºN A
Arctic Circle = 66.5ºN E
Tropic of Capricorn = 23.5ºS G
South Pole = 90ºS C

6. How do we label latitude points?
Label The following points of latitude: A: B: C:
30ºN
60ºS A B C E D
15ºN
Which two points are on the same latitude?
Latitude Points A and E are on the same latitude at 30ºN

7. How do we define lines of longitude?
Lines of Longitude: distance in degrees east or west of the Prime Meridian (GMT) (reference line)
Prime Meridian (0º) - passes through Greenwich, England
Longitude lines are also called Meridians (meet at the poles)
Run north to south but are labeled East or West
Range from 0º – 180º
Lines of Longitude are 15º apart

8. How do we label lines of longitude?
West
East
International Date Line – 180º
Zig-Zag line (jagged line)
60ºW
30ºW
30ºE
Prime Meridian = 0º
60ºE
180ºE
180ºW
45ºW
15ºW
15ºE
45ºE
One day ahead of west
One day behind east

9. How do we label longitude points?
Label The following points of longitude: A: B: C: A B C E D
30ºW
45ºW
30ºE
Which two points are on the same longitude?
Longitude Points D and E are on the same longitude at 0º

10. Longitude and Latitude are measured in angular units: degrees (o) and minutes (‘)
There are 60 minutes in a degree

11. How does the captain teach his crew where they’re going and how long they have?

12. How to locate Polaris? Locate the Big Dipper
The pointer stars of the Big Dipper, will point straight to the Little Dipper’s handle.
The first star on the little dipper handle is Polaris (north star).
Pointer Stars
Big Dipper
Little Dipper

13. How is Polaris viewed from Earth?
Altitude – how high in the sky (the height of a star)
Sextant / Astrolabe – device used to find the altitude of star.
Polaris altitude equals your latitude!
From the North Pole to the Equator:
From the Equator to the North Pole:
As Latitude decreases, Altitude of Polaris decreases
As Latitude increases, Altitude of Polaris increases A B
A to B: Latitude stays the same, Polaris stays the same

14. Latitude
Polaris- the North Star- is located directly over the North Pole. The angle of Polaris above the horizon is the same as the latitude of that point.

15. How does Polaris equal Latitude for New York?10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Little Dipper
Big Dipper
Latitude NY = 42ºN
Polaris
Polaris Altitude = 42º
Pointer Stars
43°
Horizon

16. Determine the Altitude of Polaris at Tampa, Florida?10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Latitude Tampa = 30ºN
Polaris Altitude = 30º
Polaris
Horizon

17. Determine the Altitude of Polaris at the Equator?10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Equator: Polaris is at the horizon!
Latitude Equator = 0º
Polaris Altitude = 0º
Polaris

18. Practice Regents Question:

19. Latitude and Longitude Summary Activity

20. Latitude and Longitude Summary Activity
Determine the latitude and longitude of the following letters
Letter
Latitude
Longitude G D
Determine the Letter by using the following latitude and longitude coordinate
Letter
Latitude
Longitude 0º
150ºW
15ºS
75ºE E
30ºS 0º H
15ºN
45ºW

21. Extra Summary Questions
1. Why is the coordinate system important?