Maps are a Picture

A map is a special kind of drawing.  It shows the whole world or just a part of the world from a bird's eye view or like you would see it from and airplane.
Following Nikki as she flies over a park in a hot air ballon and sees the park from
the sky.
Try to find an arial picture where you live from the TerraServer.  See if you can draw a picture from this arial picture.
Arial Picture or "Birds Eye View" of
Woodland School
  Maps Show Directions
 A map can show you how to get from one place to another.  A map shows directions like north, east, south and west (cardinal directions).  All maps have a compass rose to show directions. 
Print and color a compass rose. 

Practice finding places on a map using the cardinal directions.
Maps Locate Places

          A map is a tool used to located places.  Many maps have grid lines to help locate places.  Our earth also has imaginary lines which divide the earth north and south
and east and west. These lines also help us locate places.  They are called lines of latitude and longitude.
Read more about latitude and longitude from Lula and
Lou.

Maps Come In Different Forms

     Maps can show political boundaries, physical features, roads, elevation, population, etc.
Find out about different types of Maps:
Types of Maps 1
Types of Maps 2
Types of Maps 3
Types of Maps 4-Activity