The Tricky Bitsof Map Skills

Political MapsShows divisions

created by governments

What you see on the map: colors and lines to indicate borders of countries, states, and cities and their names

Topographic MapsShows what you could

see from the top, or above, the land

What you see on the map: colors to indicate landforms, physical features, and/ or elevation

Thematic MapsFocus on a theme, or

topic – many different possible topics.

What you see on the map: colors to indicate categories related to the theme

Thematic Maps - Population

Thematic Maps - Precipitation

Thematic Maps - Climate

Thematic Maps - Natural Resources

forestry for lumber

coal mining farming

oil drilling

Thematic Maps - Land Usecropland (agriculture)

grazing pasture (agriculture)

residential

commercial/ business (urban)

factories (urban)

Political, Topographic, or Thematic Map?

Political Map

Political, Topographic, or Thematic Map?

Thematic Map

Political, Topographic, or Thematic Map?

Thematic Map

Political, Topographic, or Thematic Map?

Topographic Map

Political, Topographic, or Thematic Map?

Thematic Map

Political, Topographic, or Thematic Map?

Political Map

Political, Topographic, or Thematic Map?

Thematic Map

Inset vs. Locator MapsInset Map –

zooms in to a part of the main map to show more detail

Inset vs. Locator MapsLocator Map –

zooms out from the main map to locate the map on the globe or continent

Inset or Locator Map?

Locator Map

Inset or Locator Map?

Inset Map

Physical Features

mountains

ocean/ sea

bay

peninsula plateau

volcanoriver delta

island

Geographic Regions

desert

forestgrasslands/ prairie

Man-made Structures

canalport

harbor

dam

Physical, Geographic, or Man-made?

mountains port canyon dam harbor forest waterfall

shore prairie stream desert

Physical Features Geographic Regions Man-made Structures

Physical, Geographic, or Man-made?

Physical Features Geographic Regions Man-made Structures

canyonmountainsstreamshorewaterfall

forestprairiedesert

harbordamport

Relative DirectionWhere a particular

place is, in relation to other areas, buildings, etc.

“Romania is south of the Former Soviet Republics.”

This one really is tricky!

Relative DirectionLouisiana is ________ of Arkansas.

Always start at the place after “of.” Which direction do you need to go to get to the place at the beginning of the sentence?

south

Relative DirectionMissouri is ________ of Kansas.

Always start at the place after “of.” Which direction do you need to go to get to the place at the beginning of the sentence?

east

Relative Direction_________ is north of Texas.

Always start at the place after “of.”

If you follow the

direction given in the

sentence, where will

you end up?

Oklahoma

Relative Direction_________ is west of Kansas.

Always start at the place after “of.”

If you follow the

direction given in the

sentence, where will

you end up?

Colorado

Good Luckon your quiz!

Check out the Jeopardy Game for Map Skills Review on the blog.