Geography Skills

Notes

PART 1 (pgs. G4 – G5) :

  • A globe is a small copy of Earth.
  • Earth has four large bodies of water called oceans.

1. Arctic Ocean3. Pacific Ocean

2. Atlantic Ocean4. Indian Ocean

  • Earth has seven large bodies of land called continents.

1. Africa5. Antarctica

2. Asia6. Australia

3. Europe7. North America

4. South America

  • One half of a sphere or globe is called a hemisphere.
  • The equatoris an imaginary line that divides Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
  • The prime meridian, together with its opposite meridian having a longitude of 180°, divides the Earth roughly into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.

Geography Skills

Notes

PART 2 (pgs. G6 – G8) :

  • A compass roseis a drawing that shows directions on a map.
  • Cardinal directionsare the four main points on a compass:

north (N), south (S), east (E), west (W).

  • Intermediate directions are the directions halfway between each of the cardinal directions:northeast (NE),

northwest (NW), southeast (SE), southwest (SW).

  • A map’s title names the area the map shows and tells the kind of information shown on the map.
  • Maps use symbols. A symbol is something that stands for something else.

Examples: A star often indicates a state capital.

A small drawing of a tree might stand for a forest.

  • A map key is a guide telling you what each symbol on a map stands for.
  • A map’s scale shows the relationship between distances on a map and real distances.
  • A locator is a small map inset in the corner of a larger map that helps you understand where the area of the main map is located on Earth.

Geography Skills

Notes

PART 3 (pgs. G9 – G11):

  • A political map shows the boundaries of states and countries.
  • A physical map highlights Earth’s natural features.
  • A landform map is a type of physical map that shows the landforms of an area.
  • A transportation map shows how to travel from one place to another.
  • A historical map shows information about the past or where past events took place. They often include dates in the title.

Test Essay: Write a paragraph describing one of the five different types of maps. Your paragraph must have an opening and closing sentence. You should also include the following:

a definition

description of the type of map chosen (What would it look like? What would you find in its title and key?)

explanation of how and why you would use this type of map

example(s)

(cut out & make your own vocabulary matching game)

globe / a small copy of Earth
ocean / large bodies of water
Earth has four:
Arctic Ocean,
Atlantic Ocean,
Pacific Ocean,
Indian Ocean
continents / large bodies of land
Earth has seven:
North America, South America
Africa, Antarctica, Asia
Australia, Europe,
hemisphere / one half of a sphere or globe
Earth has four:
Eastern Hemisphere,
Western Hemisphere,
Northern Hemisphere,
Southern Hemisphere
equator / an imaginary line that divides
Earth into the Northern and
Southern Hemispheres
compass rose / a drawing that shows
directions on a map
cardinal directions / the four main points
on a compass:
north (N)
south (S)
east (E)
west (W)
intermediate directions / the directions halfway between each of the cardinal directions:
northeast (NE)
northwest (NW)
southeast (SE)
southwest (SW)
symbol / something that stands
for something else
map key / a guide telling you what
each symbol on a map stands for
a map’s scale / shows the relationship
between distances on a
map and real distances
locator / small map inset in the corner
of a larger map that helps you understand where the area of
the main map is located on Earth