SPATIAL SENSE MAPS GLOBES GEOGRAPHIC TOOLS Core Knowledge

SPATIAL SENSE MAPS, GLOBES, & GEOGRAPHIC TOOLS Core Knowledge Level 6 Page 1

Today’s Objectives • Identify the 7 continents. • Name the major oceans of Earth. • Read maps and globes using latitude and longitude, coordinates, and degrees. Page 2

The 7 Continents North America Europe Asia Africa South America Australia Antarctica Page 3

Major Oceans 3 2 6 1 5 4 7 Page 4

Maps & Globes • Have you ever compared a globe and a flat map? • Did you notice the differences in size of land masses? • Size distortions occur when mapmakers represent our round earth on a flat surface. • Think of an orange… Page 5

Reading a Map • We use maps to help us locate places and to measure distances. • The 4 cardinal directions on a map are: North, South, East, and West. • Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest are called intermediate directions. • A compass rose is a representation of these directions on a map or globe. Page 6

Reading a Map • How do you locate a spot on Earth’s surface? • Where is St. George, UT exactly? • Maps divide Earth’s surface into a grid system of lines called coordinates. • These coordinates measure distance in degrees of latitude and longitude. • Grids are helpful when locating places. Page 7

Latitude • Parallels are imaginary lines running east/west on maps and globes; measure degrees of latitude north and south of the equator. • The equator is at 0° latitude. • The North Pole is at 90° north latitude. • The South Pole is Page 8 at 90° south latitude.

Longitude • Meridians are imaginary lines running north/south on maps and globes; measure degrees of longitude east and west of the prime meridian. • The prime meridian is at 0° longitude. • The prime meridian runs through Greenwich, England (near London). Page 9

Today’s Objectives • Understand that coordinates tell more than just location. • Investigate the relationship between latitudinal lines and climate. Page 10

What coordinates tell us… • How far a place is from the equator effects the climate of the area. • How far a place is from the prime meridian tells us the time zone the place is in. Page 11

Climate Zones There are 3 basic climate zones… 1. Tropic – low latitude climate 2. Temperate – mid latitude climate 3. Arctic – high latitude climate; aka polar Page 12

Video 1 Page 13

Video 2 Page 14

Climate Zones Page 15

Today’s Objectives • Explore the relationship between longitudinal lines and time zones. • Examine the relationship between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, and the seasons and temperature. Page 16

Time Zones • The Earth is divided into 24 time zones, corresponding with 24 hours in a day. • As the earth rotates, the sun shines in different areas, moving from east to west (generally speaking) during the course of a day. • Places that have relatively the same longitude will be in the same time zone. Page 17

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Today’s Objectives • Understand the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn relate to the changing seasons and temperature. • Explore the Arctic and Antarctic Circles as imaginary lines and boundaries of the polar climates. Page 20

Tropics of Cancer & Capricorn • Areas between are known as “The Tropics” • Where the imaginary lines lie are where the tropical climate ends and the temperate climate begins. • Each lie at 23. 5 degrees latitude. • The Tropic of Cancer is located at 23. 5° North of the equator. • The Tropic of Capricorn lies at 23. 5° South Page 21 of the equator.

Tropics of Cancer & Capricorn • The tropics are where the sun is directly overhead at noon on the two solstices near June and December 21. • The reason for the location of the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn at 23. 5° north and south respectively is due to the axial tilt of the Earth. • These areas do not experience seasons because the sun is always high in the sky. Page 22

Tropic of Cancer Page 23

Tropic of Cancer Page 24

Tropic of Capricorn Page 25

Tropic of Capricorn Page 26

Arctic and Antarctic Circles Page 27