I. Geography Skills A. Terms

1. Latitude: - Distance north or south of equator - Lines called parallels

2. Equator: 0 degrees latitude - halfway between North and South Poles

3. Longitude: Distance east and west of Prime Meridian Lines called meridians

4. Prime Meridian: 0 degrees longitude, at Greenwich, England; time start point

5. International Date Line –180 degrees longitude

6. Grid: formed by lines of lat. and long.

7. Degrees - measure of distance: 60 minutes in degree 60 seconds in minute Example: 36°37’30"N 087°26’22"W

8. Hemispheres – half of the globe Map of the World, 1597 Western and Eastern Northern and Southern map dated 1/1/1790

B.Mapmaking

1. Map: flat diagram of all or part of Earth’s surface

2. Atlas: collection of maps in one book

3. Map Projections: Ways of showing round world on flat maps

Three types: cylindrical conic flat-plane

Great-circle route: The shortest route between any two points on Earth

C. Map Essentials

1. Legend or Key – explain what symbols represent

2. Compass Rose – arrows point in cardinal directions

3. Scales – measure distance

4. Inset maps –small part of larger map

D. Working with maps

1. Physical-political maps: show physical and political features

2. Climate Maps: show weather patterns

3. Population maps: show where people live, population density

4. Economic maps: show resources, industries

E. Using Graphs and Diagrams

Bar graph Pie Graph Line Graph

Climograph – compares temperature and precipitation

Tables –statistical information

Timelines – Events over a period of time