CSG 8 Geography #2

Teacher Noelle

Name: ______________________________ Date: __________________________

Geography is the study of human management and interaction with the physical
world. This is an enormous area of information, as it includes questions not only
about all the physical elements of the world, including climate, weather, air, land,
and water, but also considers how humans all over the world relate and react to all
of these elements on the planet. Geographic information has been divided into five
general themes to begin organizing this vast amount of data that are in our world.
These five themes are Location, Place, Regions, Movement, and Interaction.
The geographers basic and most important toll is a map. A map will always be a
much smaller representation of real space. It shows characteristics in space
perhaps of cities, rivers and mountains, population densities, or crops. Maps use
symbols to represent ideas and concepts. Understanding a map requires you to
actually read and analyze it never just look at it!
Six basic parts to a map:
a) Title
b) Map information
c) Location
d) Key/legend
e) Compass rose
f) Scale
Location: Hemisphere north, south, east, and west
-Every location in the world will be in two hemispheres. Every position on Earth is
either in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere and also either in the Eastern or
Western Hemisphere.
-Exception:
a. Equator You would not be in either the Northern or Southern Hemisphere.
b. Prime meridian or international dateline not be in either the Eastern or
Western Hemisphere.
-All maps will show two, three, or all four hemispheres, depending on the scale and
projection.

Keys or legends: This is often a box inset into the map that contains symbols,
colors, and patterns that represent data or information on the map.
Compass roses: show direction
Scales: provides an appreciation of the proportion of real-world space to the page in
your atlas

Map Checklist:
1. Title: whats the title? What is the map about?
2. Map Information: are there any written clues provided that help you
understand the information on this map?
3. Location: In which hemisphere is this place located? What are latitude and
longitude?
4. Key or legend: What colors, symbols, and data are included on this map?
5. Direction: Where is north on this map? What are the orientation points?
6. Scale: What is the scale? Is this a large region or a smaller, more detailed
area?

Mapmakers are called cartographers. The word cartography originally comes from
the Latin charta, meaning Sheet of papyrus, and the Latin graphia, meaning
writing or to write. Cartographers take great care in the accuracy of the maps
they create.

Ten Rules of Map Making

1. All writing on a map should be printed.
2. Print should be horizontal whenever possible. This makes a map more
readable.
3. Print should be small and neat.
4. Writing all data first in pencil is a better choice, as errors can then be easily
corrected. Once all information is correct, go over the written pencil work in
pen.

5. Never cross out an error. Either erase or use correction fluid for all
corrections.
6. If an exercise asks you to create color-coding or symbols, always include a
key on the map.
7. Use simple symbols shapes and patterns should be easy to read.
8. Be sensitive to scale. Avoid huge symbols or print sizes that obliterate the map
itself.
9. Be sensitive to color. Always use colored pencils for shading. Markers and
crayons tend to smear and may cover important written information. Do not
shade areas too darkly or it will make the map itself difficult to read.
10.
Remember that maps are generalizations of spatial information. Always
try to be accurate, but do not become frustrated with issues of exact
placement.