A
What map element tells you what the map is about?
Title
What are the four cardinal directions?
North, South, East, and West
What map element explains symbols and colours?
Legend / Key
What imaginary line divides Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres?
Equator
What is the opposite direction of West?
East
What direction is halfway between north and east?
Northeast (NE)
A map has a scale of 1 cm = 5 km. How far is 4 cm in real life?
20 km
Which lines tell us how far north or south a place is?
Latitude
Why is a compass rose important when reading a map?
It helps us understand the direction and location of places and how to move from one place to another.
A symbol on a map looks like a tree, but you are not sure what it means. What should you check?
The legend/key
What is the difference between latitude and longitude?
Latitude tells how far north or south a place is, while longitude tells how far east or west it is.
A cave is located at grid reference F6. What does the F represent and what does the 6 represent?
F is the column and 6 is the row.
Why would a map of a school campus need a legend? Explain how it helps someone use the map.
It explains the symbols used on the map, allowing the reader to understand places/features without needing every name written out.
You are walking north and then turn toward the direction between north and west. What direction are you now travelling?
Northwest (NW)
A map shows that two towns are 7 cm apart. The scale is 1 cm = 5 km. How far apart are the towns in real life?3
5 km
Why are intermediate directions such as NE and SW useful instead of only using N, S, E, and W?
They give a more specific description of where something is located.
A new student asks you how to find the library using a school map. Explain the steps you would take and identify at least THREE map elements you would use.
Example: Check the title to understand the map, use the legend to understand symbols, use the compass rose to determine direction, and use the map/grid to locate the library.
Two students are trying to find a place. One only has a map with symbols but no legend. The other has a map with a legend but no compass rose. Which student has the bigger problem? Explain your reasoning.
Either can be difficult depending on the task. Without a legend, symbols cannot be understood; without a compass rose, directions cannot be determined accurately. Students should explain which missing element is more important for the situation.
A map shows that your destination is northeast of your starting point. You walk north, but then accidentally continue west. Explain why you are moving away from the correct route and what you should do to correct yourself.
The destination is NE, which requires moving both north and east. Continuing west moves away from the eastern direction. You should adjust toward the east while continuing north.
You are given the coordinate 15°S, 30°E. Explain what each part tells you about the location. Why must latitude be written first?
15°S means the location is 15 degrees south of the Equator. 30°E means it is 30 degrees east of the Prime Meridian. Latitude is written first in a coordinate.