JCE Social Studies

Lesson 1: Attributes of a Map

A map is a drawing that represents an area of ground or land, usually drawn to scale and viewed from directly above (a "bird's-eye view"). Maps are one of several ways of representing the Earth's surface, but a map is different from a plan (a large-scale drawing of a small area, such as a single building, usually without a scale of distance shown for wider terrain), an aerial photograph (an actual photo taken from an aircraft, showing real detail rather than symbols), and a satellite image (a photo taken from space).

There are different types of maps suited to different purposes, including political maps (showing boundaries, countries, and cities), physical maps (showing natural features such as mountains, rivers, and relief), and climatic maps (showing weather and climate patterns).

Every good map has certain key attributes:

There are three types of scale: statement scale (written in words, e.g. "1 centimetre represents 1 kilometre"), ratio scale (written as a ratio, e.g. 1:50,000, meaning 1 unit on the map equals 50,000 of the same unit on the ground), and linear scale (a drawn line marked off in real-world distances, which can be measured directly with a ruler).

Lesson 2: Using Map Attributes

The map scale is used to calculate real (ground) distance from a measured distance on the map. To do this, measure the distance between two points on the map, then multiply by the scale to find the actual distance on the ground.

Example: A map has a scale of 1:50,000. Two points are 4 cm apart on the map. Find the real distance. Real distance = 4 × 50,000 = 200,000 cm = 2 km.

The map key is used to identify what the various symbols, colours, and shading on a map represent, such as roads, rivers, settlements, and vegetation.

Direction on a map is described using compass points (North, South, East, West, and the points between them), or more precisely using bearings (an angle measured clockwise from North, given as a three-digit number, e.g. 045°). Direction is used to describe the position of one place relative to another on a map.

Lesson 3: Latitudes, Longitudes and Grid Reference

Lines of latitude are imaginary horizontal lines that run parallel to the Equator, used to measure position north or south of the Equator. Lines of longitude are imaginary vertical lines that run from the North Pole to the South Pole, used to measure position east or west of the Prime Meridian. Together, latitude and longitude allow any point on Earth's surface to be precisely located.

Rule: when giving a location using latitude and longitude, always state the latitude first, followed by the longitude.

A four-figure grid reference is another way of locating a place on a map, using the grid lines printed on many maps. The grid reference is made up of two pairs of two-digit numbers: the first pair identifies the eastings (vertical grid lines, numbered left to right), and the second pair identifies the northings (horizontal grid lines, numbered bottom to top).

Rule: when giving a grid reference, always state the eastings first, followed by the northings — a helpful way to remember this order is "along the corridor, then up the stairs."

Lesson 4: Identifying Landforms on a Map

Maps use contour lines and symbols to represent the shape of the land (relief) and natural features, allowing landforms to be identified without seeing the land directly.

Rivers are usually shown as blue lines, often winding, and can be identified by the way contour lines form a "V" shape pointing upstream (uphill) where a river cuts through higher ground. Hills and mountains are shown using contour lines forming closed loops, with higher ground indicated by contour lines that are closer together (steep slope) or further apart (gentle slope), and often labelled with a height value.

Cliffs can be identified where contour lines are extremely close together or almost touching, indicating a very steep or vertical drop. Depressions (low-lying, bowl-shaped areas) are shown using contour lines with small tick marks pointing inward, toward the lowest point. Flatland is shown by widely spaced contour lines, or an absence of contour lines altogether, indicating little change in height.

Lesson 5: Sketch Maps and the Use of Geographical Information Systems

A sketch map is a simple, freehand map drawn from a description, observation, or another map, showing the key features of an area without needing to be perfectly to scale. Sketch maps typically still include a title, key, and north arrow, and are useful for quickly recording or communicating the layout of an area.

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are computer-based systems used to capture, store, analyse, and display geographic (location-based) data. GIS allows different types of information to be layered together on the same map to reveal patterns and relationships that would be difficult to see otherwise.

Key GIS techniques include: map themes (organising data by subject, e.g. population, roads, or land use), map layers (separate sets of data that can be shown or hidden, stacked on top of one another), overlaying (combining multiple layers to compare or analyse them together, e.g. overlaying rainfall data on a map of farming areas), and data recording and organisation (collecting and structuring geographic data so it can be used effectively within a GIS).