1. Basic Geography Skills
MI Standard 1
September 2013

2. Geography
The study of the earth’s surface, the people, culture, and their relationships with each other

3. Cartography
The study of maps & mapmaking

4. Topography
The study of Earth's surface shape and features or those of planets, moons, and asteroids.
It is also the description of such surface shapes and features (especially their depiction in maps)

5. Atlas
A collection of maps in a book

6. Parallels The lines running horizontally around the globe.
0 degrees = The Equator.
90 degrees = North Pole
These lines NEVER meet

7. Equator
An imaginary line around the Earth forming the great circle that is halfway from the north and south poles

8. Meridians LINES OF LONGITUDE
Lines that run north to south meeting at the Poles

9. Prime Meridian
The 0° longitude line that runs through Greenwich, England
Dividing line between the Western and Eastern Hemispheres

10. Map Projections
Any method of representing the surface of a sphere or other shape on a plane.
They are necessary for creating maps.
There is distortion on the surface in some fashion

11. Mercator Projection
A method of mapping Earth on a flat surface which leads to great distortion near the north and south poles
Mercator the Navigator – Used for shipping

12. Robinson Projection
Used for data representation

13. Polar Projection This projection shows the North or South Poles
Used in airline navigation
Great Circle Route

14. Distortion
A change in shape of an image

15. Region
A large indefinite location on the surface of the Earth

16. Grid
A pattern of regularly spaced horizontal and vertical lines

17. Latitude
Parallel lines that run east and west, but measure north and south

18. Longitude
Lines that meet at the poles that run north to south, but measure east and west

19. Hemispheres
Halves of the globe divided by the equator and prime meridian

20. Legend
Lists and explains the symbols and colors used on a map (key)

21. Thematic Maps
Portrays physical, social, political, cultural, economic, sociological, agricultural, or any other aspects of a city, state, region, nation, or continent

22. Absolute Location
Using latitude and longitude to find a place on a map

23. Relative Location
A location of a place in relation to another place

24. Orientation
Position relative to points of the compass or other specific directions

25. Scale
The ratio between the size of something and a representation of it

26. Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Captures, stores, analyzes, manages, and presents data that is linked to location

27. Compass Rose
A directional indicator that gives cardinal and intermediate directions