1. Map Skills 3rd Grade Geography

2. Standards Addressed
SS3G1 The student will locate major topographical features.
Identify major rivers of the United States of America: Mississippi, Ohio, Rio Grande, Colorado, Hudson.
b. Identify major mountain ranges of the United States of America: Appalachian, Rocky.

3. Types of Maps There are 3 basic types of maps: Physical Map Political
Resource

4. Physical Map A physical map is a map that shows elevation, rivers,
landforms, and bodies
of water in a specific
area.

5. Political Map A political map show boundaries of countries, states,
counties, and the
location of major cities.
They usually include significant bodies of water. Bright
colors are often used to help the user find the borders.

6. Resource Map
A resource map shows what sort of natural or agricultural resources, such as crops or minerals, there are in a certain area. The amount of a resource is shown by a picture symbol. The bigger The symbol, the more of the resource there is!

7. Parts of a Map
There are many maps that we use, but they all have one or more of these basic parts:
Map scale
Legend/Map Key
Compass
Title

8. Compass Rose The compass rose is included on a map to help
the user with the cardinal directions
(North, East, South, and West)
in relation to the map.

9. Map Key/Legend A map key or legend as it is often called tells what
the symbols on a map represent.

10. Map Scale Maps cannot be the same size as the objects are in
reality or they would not
fit on the page! Therefore we
use scale to show the real
distances between places by
making everything smaller.

11. Map Titles
Map titles tell you what you are looking at.
Example:

12. Major Rivers of the United States
There are 5 major rivers of the United States:
Mississippi River, Colorado River, Rio Grande, Ohio River and the Hudson River.
Rivers help people in the U.S. meet their needs. They use river water for crops, drinking water, moving goods, and for having fun!

13. Mountains of the United States
The Rocky and Appalachian Mountains are found in the United States.
The Rocky Mountains is the largest mountain range in the country located in the western part of the U.S. The rockies pass through northern New Mexico and into Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana.
The Appalachian Mountains located west of the Atlantic Coastal Plain run from Maine (north) to Georgia (south). They aren’t as high as the Rockies.