Friday, May 24, 2013
Where on Earth are you?
Cross-Curricular Focus: History/Social Sciences
The four cardinal directions are shownon a magnetic compass. They are north, south, east and west. The same four directions are also on a map. If you learn the cardinal directions, they can help you find where you are on a map.
A compass rose is a printed symbol that shows these directions. It can help you understand maps. A compass rose is usually drawn as art, with designs and details to make it beautiful. This is especially true on very old maps.
Another way to identify your exact location is to use lines of latitude and longitude. They are both imaginary lines that circle around Earth. Lines of latitude circle the Earth running east and west. Lines of longitude circle the Earth running north and south. Together, these lines form squares. It’s like the lines you see on graph paper. If you look closely on most maps, you will see this graph paper printed on top of the map. If you look even closer, you will see numbers written by the lines. These numbers help to give addresses to places on Earth. The address for each place is known as its absolute location.
The equator is the main line of latitude that circles Earth. It is the same distance from the North Pole as it is from the South Pole. The equator is the starting point for measuring degrees of latitude. Each line of latitude is marked with a number that says how many degrees north or south of the equator it is.
The prime meridian is the main line of longitude that circles Earth. It is the starting point for measuring lines of longitude. Each line of longitude is marked with a number that says how many degrees east or west of the prime meridian it is. You can accurately identify absolute, or exact, locations on Earth. You determine the degrees that identify the latitude and longitude lines that cross closest to your location.
A compass rose is a printed symbol that shows these directions. It can help you understand maps. A compass rose is usually drawn as art, with designs and details to make it beautiful. This is especially true on very old maps.
Another way to identify your exact location is to use lines of latitude and longitude. They are both imaginary lines that circle around Earth. Lines of latitude circle the Earth running east and west. Lines of longitude circle the Earth running north and south. Together, these lines form squares. It’s like the lines you see on graph paper. If you look closely on most maps, you will see this graph paper printed on top of the map. If you look even closer, you will see numbers written by the lines. These numbers help to give addresses to places on Earth. The address for each place is known as its absolute location.
The equator is the main line of latitude that circles Earth. It is the same distance from the North Pole as it is from the South Pole. The equator is the starting point for measuring degrees of latitude. Each line of latitude is marked with a number that says how many degrees north or south of the equator it is.
The prime meridian is the main line of longitude that circles Earth. It is the starting point for measuring lines of longitude. Each line of longitude is marked with a number that says how many degrees east or west of the prime meridian it is. You can accurately identify absolute, or exact, locations on Earth. You determine the degrees that identify the latitude and longitude lines that cross closest to your location.
