1. MAPS AND MAP SKILLS

2. WHAT ARE MAPS AND WHAT ARE THEY USED FOR?
Maps are a way for us to see what the world looks like. It is a method that geographers use to locate different things and to help us find our way from one place to another
Maps are used in many places for many different purposes
Maps are used every day by people throughout the world
With a partner come up with as many different places you might need or find a map

3. DIFFERENT TYPES OF MAPS
Maps are created and used for many different reasons
Have a look at the following maps and see if you can tell what makes them different, other than that they may be of different places.

4. Map #1

5. Map #2

6. Map #3

7. Map #4

8. …so what are the differences?
Map #1 is a Physical map of Canada. It shows the different physical features throughout our country.
Map #2 is a Political map of Canada. It shows the man made boundaries in our country and our neighbours the United States of America.
Map #3 is a Thematic map of Canada. It shows a specific theme, in this case the population density of our Country.
Map #4 is a Directional map of Abbotsford. It shows the roads in and around the city of Abbotsford.
These are the four different types of maps that are most commonly used. Some maps will fall into more than one category.

9. Map Basics What information is necessary on every map?
There are 5 map basics that appear on nearly every map. With a partner see how many you can come up with.
Title: This tell you what area you are looking at.
Legend: Gives you information about the symbols located on the map.
Scale: This tells you how big the Earth’s surface is in relation to the map
Symbols: Placed on a map to represent different things
Compass Rose: Shows direction North, South, East, and West

10. Map Basics cont’d
Title
Compass Rose
Symbols
Scale
Legend

11. Scale
The scale on a map allows the map makers to put a great deal of information on a sheet of paper that is much smaller than the actual area being looked at on a map.
The scale on a map means that a small distance on a map represents a much larger distance on the Earth’s surface
There are three different types of scales used on maps
Statement Scale: this is listed as a statement. It will tell you how many km on the Earth’s Surface is represented by one cm on the map. For example: 1cm=50km
Line Scale: The line scale is written so that with a ruler you can easily measure the distance between two places
Representative Fraction Scale (RF): This scale uses the same units for both the map and the Earth’s surface. For example: 1:5,000,000 means that on cm on the map represents 5,000,000 on the earth’s surface

12. Scale
In order to find the distance between two places on a map we need to look at the scale and then use a ruler to measure the distance between the two places.
For example: if the distance on a map from Tortorella to Vigneault is 6cm and the scale is listed as 1cm=50km how many km apart are Tortorella and Vigneault?
A: 300km
Of the three different types of scales which do you think is the least useful to us?
Representative Fraction Scale because it is difficult to comprehend how far 50,000,000 cm is as opposed to 5oo km.

13. Converting Scales
When presented with a RF scale we need to convert it to units that we can comprehend a little better.
It is converted from cm to km but how do we do this?
There are 100,000 cm in a km and as a result we divide by 100,000 to get the number of km
For example: if a RF scale reads 1:50,000,000 we divide 50,000,000 by 100,000 to get the number of km on the earth’s surface that is equal to 1cm on the map.
50,000,000/100,000 = 500
This means that the scale for this particular map would be 1cm=500km
An even simpler way is to simply move the decimal place 5 spots to the left. We do this because there are 5 zeros in the number 100,000 and this allows us to cancel these in the number 50,000,000
50,000,000

14. Convert This! Convert the following RF scales to statement scales.
1:100,000,000
1:35,000,000
1:45,000,000
1:10,000,000
1:100,000
Which of these maps would show the largest area of the earth’s surface? Why is this size of a map useful?
A: Map #1
Which of these maps would show the smallest area of the earth’s surface? Why is this size of map useful?
A: Map #5
A: 1cm=1000km
A: 1cm=350km
A: 1cm=450km
A: 1cm=100km
A:1cm=1km

15. Legend/Symbols
The legend on a map contains information about the symbols used on a map.
What do you think each of these symbols would represent on a map?
First Aid
Garbage Can
Boat Launch
Information
Parking
Rest Rooms
Camper Parking
Gas Station
Wheelchair Access
Restaurant
Tractor Trailer Parking
Bicycle Path/Rentals
Camp site
Phone
Camp Fires Permitted

16. Direction Direction is shown on a map using a compass rose.
This allows the map reader to know what direction one place is from another.
The compass rose is shown differently on many maps

17. Exit Slip!!! – Check your understanding
1. Identify the latitude and longitude of the following places using an atlas:
Vancouver, British Columbia
Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
2. Name two purposes of maps. (other than to identify locations) 
3. Calculate the following using the scale provided
2 cm = 150km
Vancouver to Edmonton is 4cm, how many km?

18. Hemispheres The definition of Hemisphere is “half of a sphere”
The Earth is divided into four hemispheres: Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western
Each continent is in at least two hemispheres
Which two hemispheres is Canada located in?

19. Latitude & Longitude
Maps have lines on them that form a grid. This helps us locate places on the Earth’s surface.
Parallels of Latitude run East/West
and never touch each other
Meridians of Longitude
run North/South and
intersect at the
North and South
Poles

20. Latitude & Longitude There are 5 special parallels of latitude
Equator 00 this line divides the world into two equal halves (Northern and Southern Hemispheres) and is also known as a “great circle”
Tropic of Cancer N indicates the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere June 21 which is the longest day of the year
Tropic of Capricorn S indicates the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere which is the shortest day of the year
Arctic Circle N this indicates the start of the area where for at least one day each year the sun does not completely set (June 21) or rise (December 22)
Arctic Circle S this indicates the start of the area where for at least one day each year the sun does not set (December 22) or rise (June 21)

21. Latitude & Longitude
A great circle is any circle that divides the earth into two equal parts
All Meridians of Longitude are great circles and the only Parallel of Latitude that is a great circle is the equator
There are two key Meridians of Longitude: the Prime Meridian and the International Date Line
Together they divide the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres
The Prime Meridian, runs through Greenwich, England

22. Latitude & Longitude
When finding locations on a map using Latitude and Longitude we need more information than just the numbers.
Why would we be unable to find this location?
We need to know which value is listed first and what hemispheres we are looking at. The correct way to write it would be as follows: 490 N 1220 W What city do you think this is?
It is Abbotsford B.C.
When we write the co-ordinates for a location Latitude (North or South) is always listed first

23. Latitude & Longitude
The grid covers the entire surface of the Earth but on maps only a few lines are shown. Why do you think this is?
A: Because if every grid line was shown you wouldn’t be able to see anything else on the map.
This requires us to estimate the location in the grid of a particular place. You do this by looking at the closest lines to the place you are trying to find the co-ordinates of. For example:
The blue star is located in between 4 different lines. So we need to estimate what its co-ordinates are. The nearest lines can tell us this.
A: 680N 260W
What are the co-ordinates of the red star?
A: 620N 430W
150W 300W W
750N
600N