Maps

Central idea:
Maps help us understand the geography of the land around us.
Lines of inquiry:

• Different types of maps
  
• The use of maps
  
• How maps organize information

Key concepts: form, function, connection

      Maps and globes can take you anywhere – to the top of the tallest mountain on earth or the bottom of the deepest ocean. Maps tell you about the world: where various countries are located, where the jungles and deserts are, even how to find your way around your own hometown. During this unit students will learn how easy it is to find the places they know and love.
   How is map reading important? It is very important as map interpretation combines reading and mathematics skills and helps build spatial sense and visual literacy (a set of skills and habits of mind necessary to “read” images. Visual literacy means not just decoding an image but comprehending it — grasping the image’s intended meaning, evaluating it, and incorporating it into other knowledge).
    Here are a few basic map related terms students will get familiar with: a map title, a landmark, a scale, a legend/key, a compass rose, a symbol, routes, cardinal directions, a globe.
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  During this unit students will learn:

• The basic parts of a map
• How to read different types of maps
• Cardinal direction
• How to create a map of their own

     It used to be that when people wanted to know where some place was or how to get there, they would buy a paper map. And even though many people now use GPS systems or websites that provide directions, basic map-reading skills are still important. Let’s open a map or spin a globe. The wide world awaits you!