Map SkillsMap Skills

What is a map?What is a map?

A map is a representation, usually on a flat surface, of the features of an area.

Now what does that mean?

A map is a representation, A map is a drawing

usually on a flat surface, of a round Earth on a flat surface,

of the features of an areashowing landforms (mountains, rivers, etc.)

Types of MapsTypes of Maps

There are three basic types of maps:

PHYSICAL =POLITICAL =THEMATIC =

Physical MapsPhysical Maps• Physical maps show

the natural features of the Earth.

• Physical maps do not contain man made features.

• For example, a

physical map would be a map of what you would see if you were looking down on Earth from space.

Political MapsPolitical MapsUnlike physical maps, political maps show how humans have impacted the landscape. For example, city names, roads, country borders, etc. are all part of political maps.

Political maps change frequently (physical maps change very, very slowly through geologic processes) and must be redrawn often. A political map of the world that is 10 years old is no longer accurate.

Wars and ethnic conflict are two major causes political maps change.

Political MapsPolitical Maps

Thematic MapsThematic Maps

• Thematic maps can represent a variety of information including things like climate, precipitation, vegetation, elevation, population, life expectancy, etc.

• Thematic maps are generally used when you are looking at a single piece of information.

Creating a Thematic MapCreating a Thematic Map• You are now going to create a thematic map.

• You will now choose the information you will represent on your thematic map. You may choose to take a poll of favorite subjects, types of music, sports, birth months, etc. Choose something you are interested in learning about.

BE CREATIVE!

The classroom is set up in the following manner…The classroom is set up in the following manner…

= Student Desk

Now choose what you want to know…Now choose what you want to know…

• I would like to know which pizza toppings students prefer to eat from the following list:

Pepperoni, Hamburger, Cheese, or Sausage.

• I will now ask the students to choose from this list of toppings and record the results.

Now you must choose a way to Now you must choose a way to represent the information you represent the information you

have gathered. I have chosen to have gathered. I have chosen to use different colors so that we use different colors so that we

may see the distribution of may see the distribution of topping preferences.topping preferences.

For example, the For example, the thematic map of my thematic map of my classroom may look like classroom may look like this…this…

Pepperoni Hamburger Cheese Sausage

According to this thematic map According to this thematic map of the classroom, which pizza of the classroom, which pizza topping is the most popular?topping is the most popular?

Map ComponentsMap ComponentsTitle

CompassKey or Legend

Write your question!What are you going to graph? Think of a subject, write a question with 4-6 options.

To help us review basic To help us review basic geographic terms that are geographic terms that are

used to create grids, we will used to create grids, we will play a game called GEOrobicsplay a game called GEOrobics..