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Using Maps, Globes, and Atlases

Introduction

Maps, globes, and atlases help you answer one big question: Where is it? They can also help you ask better questions, such as: How far away is a place? Which direction should I travel? What landforms are nearby? How are countries arranged? What route might be easiest?

In Grades 5–6, learning to use these tools builds geography skills, spatial thinking, and careful observation. You will learn how to read common map features, compare different kinds of maps, find places with coordinates, and choose the best tool for a task.

A map is a flat representation of all or part of Earth. A globe is a three-dimensional model of Earth. An atlas is an organized collection of maps, often with an index and other information. Atlases can be printed books or digital collections.

By the end of this course, you should be able to explain the strengths of maps, globes, and atlases; use a legend, compass rose, scale, and grid; locate places using latitude and longitude; and make sensible choices about which geographic tool to use.

Getting to Know the Three Tools

Maps

A map turns a real place into a smaller, simplified picture. A map might show the whole world, one country, a city, a park, or even your school. Because maps are flat, they are easy to carry, print, zoom, label, and use for many different purposes.

Maps use symbols, colors, lines, words, and numbers to represent features. A blue line may represent a river, a dot may represent a city, and a thick line may represent an important road. You must check the map's legend because symbols are not always the same on every map.

A world map is made by showing Earth's curved surface on a flat page or screen. This process is called a map projection. Every flat world map changes some combination of shape, area, distance, or direction. For Grades 5–6, the key idea is simple: a flat world map is useful, but it cannot copy a round Earth perfectly.

Globes

A globe keeps Earth's round shape, so it is very helpful for seeing the positions of continents and oceans on a sphere. It also helps you understand why traveling east or west can eventually bring you around the planet.

Globes have limits too. A classroom globe cannot show every road, town, river, or building because there is not enough space. You also cannot see the entire surface at once. This is why a globe is excellent for a global view but less useful for a detailed neighborhood route.

Atlases

An atlas brings many maps together in one organized source. A world atlas may have separate maps for continents, countries, oceans, population, climate, or other themes. Many printed atlases include a table of contents and an alphabetical index.

To find a place in a printed atlas, you can look up its name in the index. The index usually points you to a page and sometimes to a grid reference. This is often faster than turning through every page.

A digital atlas may let you search, zoom, switch layers, or compare different kinds of information. Whether an atlas is printed or digital, you should check its title, date, and purpose before using it as evidence.

Quick Comparison

Tool	Best for	Main strength	Main limitation
Map	A specific place, route, or theme	Can show detailed information clearly	A flat map changes some features of the curved Earth
Globe	Understanding Earth as a sphere	Shows the planet's round shape	Cannot show much local detail
Atlas	Looking up and comparing many places	Brings many maps together in an organized source	Information may become outdated

Parts of a Useful Map

A well-designed map gives you clues about how to read it. You should not only look at the picture. You should also notice the title, directions, symbols, scale, and any grid or coordinate information.

Title

The title tells you what the map is about. "Rivers of Europe" and "Population of Europe" could cover the same area but show very different information. Reading the title first helps you understand the map's purpose.

Compass Rose and Direction

A compass rose shows directions. The four main cardinal directions are north, east, south, and west. Many maps place north at the top, but you should check instead of assuming.

If a museum is east of a park, you would move toward the east to travel from the park to the museum. Directions can also be combined into northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest.

Legend or Key

A legend, also called a key, explains the symbols and colors on a map. A map cannot draw every real object exactly as it looks, so it uses a visual language. The legend helps you read that language.

For example, a green area might mean forest or parkland, but on another map green might show a country, a climate zone, or an elevation range. Always use the legend for the map you are reading.

Scale

A map scale compares distance on the map with distance in the real world. A scale bar is especially useful because you can compare a measured line on the map with the marked real distance.

Suppose a map's scale bar shows that a certain length represents 8 kilometers. If the distance between two places is about twice that length on the map, the real distance is about 16 kilometers. This is an estimate, but it is much better than guessing from the page.

Grid

Some maps are divided into squares by horizontal and vertical lines. Letters, numbers, or both can label the grid. A grid helps you find a smaller area quickly.

A simple classroom grid might tell you that a castle is in square C4. More advanced maps use grid-reference systems that allow increasingly precise locations.

An Example with Several Map Features

The following map of Crete combines physical relief, place names, coastlines, and other cartographic information. When you study a detailed map, start with the title and legend before trying to interpret every mark.

Different Kinds of Maps

Different maps answer different questions. Before choosing a map, ask: What do I need to know?

Political Maps

A political map focuses on human-made divisions such as countries, states, provinces, and borders. It often labels capitals and important cities.

Use a political map when you want to locate countries, compare borders, or find a capital. Remember that borders and names can change, so check the date of the map.

Physical Maps

A physical map focuses on natural features such as mountains, rivers, deserts, plains, and oceans. Colors or shading may be used to show elevation and landforms.

Use a physical map when you want to investigate landforms, water features, or the shape of the land.

Road and Street Maps

A road map or street map helps with travel. It may show roads, street names, junctions, railways, and important places. Digital route maps can update directions as you move, but you still need to read them carefully and use safe travel choices.

Thematic Maps

A thematic map is built around one main theme. It might show rainfall, languages, population density, vegetation, election results, or earthquake risk. The legend is especially important because colors and symbols often represent data rather than visible objects.

When comparing thematic maps, check whether they use the same date, units, categories, and scale. Two maps can look similar while showing different kinds of information.

Finding Places with Coordinates

A globe and many world maps use a network of imaginary lines called geographic coordinates. The two most important sets are latitude and longitude.

Latitude

Lines of latitude circle Earth from east to west and stay parallel to the Equator. Latitude tells you how far north or south a place is.

The Equator is 0° latitude. The North Pole is 90° north, and the South Pole is 90° south. A location at 40° N is north of the Equator.

Longitude

Lines of longitude run from the North Pole to the South Pole. Longitude tells you how far east or west a place is from the Prime Meridian.

The Prime Meridian is 0° longitude and passes through Greenwich in London, United Kingdom. Longitude is measured east or west from this reference line.

Reading a Coordinate Pair

Coordinates are usually written with latitude first and longitude second. For example, a coordinate pair might tell you to go north or south of the Equator and then east or west of the Prime Meridian.

At this level, focus on three habits: identify which number is latitude, notice the direction letters, and use the grid lines carefully. Exact coordinates can include degrees, minutes, seconds, or decimal degrees, but you do not need those advanced details to understand the basic system.

Using an Atlas Step by Step

A printed atlas is more useful when you know how it is organized. Imagine that you want to find a city that you have never located before.

Check the title and date: Make sure the atlas covers the area and is recent enough for your task.
Use the index: Look for the place name in alphabetical order.
Find the page: Turn to the page number given in the index.
Use the grid reference: If the index gives a grid code, use it to narrow the search.
Read the map features: Check the legend, scale, directions, and labels.
Compare if needed: Use another map or atlas page if you need a different kind of information.

A historical atlas can also show how people mapped places in the past. Old maps are valuable historical sources, but they should not be treated as current maps.

When you compare an old atlas map with a modern map, you can ask what has changed in names, borders, roads, settlements, or mapping style.

Choosing the Right Tool

Good geographers choose a tool that matches the question.

Question	A useful first choice	Why
Where are the continents and oceans on the round Earth?	Globe	It keeps Earth's spherical form
Which roads connect two towns?	Road map	It focuses on routes and transport
Where is a country in a book of world maps?	Atlas	The index and organized pages help you search
Where are the highest mountain regions?	Physical map	It emphasizes landforms and elevation
Which areas receive the most rainfall?	Thematic map	It can display one kind of data across places

There is rarely one perfect geographic tool. You may start with a globe to understand the world view, then use an atlas to find a country, and finally use a detailed local map to plan a route.

Smart and Safe Map Use

Maps are powerful, but careful users ask questions about them. A map is made for a purpose, at a certain time, by a particular source.

Before relying on a map, ask: Who made it? When was it made or updated? What area does it cover? What does the legend say? What information is missing? Is the scale suitable for my task?

A map can become outdated when roads, borders, place names, buildings, or services change. A historical map is not "wrong" simply because it is old; it may be excellent evidence for studying the past. But it may be a poor choice for planning a trip today.

Digital maps can be very useful, but a screen does not replace your judgment. Follow school and family safety rules, do not share private location information carelessly, and compare important information with a trustworthy source.

Interactive Tasks

Quiz: Test Your Knowledge

Which tool is a three-dimensional model of Earth? (A globe) (!A street map) (!A scale bar) (!A map legend)

What does a map legend explain? (Map symbols and colors) (!The age of Earth) (!The names of all oceans) (!The speed of travel)

Which map feature helps you understand real-world distance? (A scale) (!A title) (!A border) (!An index)

Which map is best for studying countries and their borders? (A political map) (!A rainfall map) (!A road map) (!A physical map)

Which map is best for studying mountains and rivers? (A physical map) (!A political map) (!A street directory) (!A population map)

What is the Equator? (The line at zero degrees latitude) (!The line at zero degrees longitude) (!The edge of every map) (!The north point of a compass)

What does longitude measure? (Position east or west of the Prime Meridian) (!Height above sea level) (!Distance from a map title) (!Position north or south of the Equator)

What is an atlas? (An organized collection of maps) (!A single compass direction) (!A tool that measures temperature) (!A symbol for a capital city)

Why can a flat world map not copy a globe perfectly? (The curved Earth must be shown on a flat surface) (!All maps leave out north) (!Globes have no scale) (!Atlases contain no symbols)

What should you check when a map may be outdated? (The map date and source) (!Only the paper size) (!Only the color of the title) (!The number of letters in each city name)

Memory Game

Atlas	Organized collection of maps
Legend	Explanation of map symbols
Scale	Comparison between map distance and real distance
Latitude	Position north or south of the Equator
Longitude	Position east or west of the Prime Meridian
Globe	Spherical model of Earth

Drag and Drop

Match the correct terms.	Topic
Shows natural landforms	Physical map
Shows countries and borders	Political map
Explains symbols	Legend
Shows direction	Compass rose
Helps estimate real distance	Scale bar

Crossword Puzzle

Atlas	What organized collection helps you look up many maps?
Legend	What part explains symbols and colors on a map?
Compass	What tool or map feature helps you understand direction?
Scale	What map feature connects map distance with real distance?
Latitude	What coordinate measures position north or south of the Equator?
Longitude	What coordinate measures position east or west of the Prime Meridian?

LearningApps

Cloze Text

Open-Ended Tasks

Easy

Sketch map: Draw a simple map of your classroom or bedroom and include a title, four symbols, a legend, and a compass rose.
Compass rose: Make a colorful eight-direction compass rose and write one real place or object that lies in each direction from a chosen starting point.
Atlas scavenger hunt: Use a printed or digital atlas to find two countries, two capitals, one mountain range, and one ocean, then explain how the atlas helped you.
Map comparison: Compare a map and a globe of the same part of the world and write three things that are easier to notice on each tool.

Standard

Route map: Create a safe imaginary walking route between two familiar places, include a legend and scale idea, and write directions using north, east, south, and west.
Physical map: Choose a country and make a labeled physical map showing at least five natural features such as rivers, mountains, plains, lakes, or coasts.
Map interview: Interview an adult about a time they used a paper map, atlas, globe, or digital map, then summarize what tool they chose and why.
Historical map: Find an old map of your town, region, or country and compare it with a modern map, recording at least four changes or similarities.

Advanced

Thematic map: Collect a small set of class or public data, design a thematic map to show it, and explain how your legend makes the data understandable.
Latitude and longitude: Choose six world locations, record approximate coordinates from a reliable atlas or map, and explain the pattern you notice between the coordinates and their positions.
Map projection: Compare two world map projections and create a short illustrated report showing one noticeable difference in shape, area, distance, or direction.
Fieldwork map: Visit a safe local place with an adult or class group, record landmarks and movement, then produce a map and a short video or audio explanation of how your map represents the area.

Learning Assessment

Tool selection: For four geographic questions, choose whether you would begin with a map, globe, or atlas and justify each choice using the strengths and limits of the tool.
Map evidence: Examine two maps of the same area made for different purposes and explain how their titles, legends, scales, and symbols change what you can learn.
Coordinate reasoning: Use a coordinate grid to describe how latitude and longitude work together to narrow down a location, then identify one common mistake a learner could make.
Source evaluation: Compare an older map and a recent map for a travel-planning task and decide which information can still be trusted, which needs checking, and why.
Map design: Create a clear map for a new student who needs to find important places around a school or community area, and justify your choices of symbols, directions, labels, and scale.

Evidence of Learning

Your learning can be shown through both what you know and what you can do.

Type of evidence	What successful learning can look like
Knowledge	You can explain the purposes, strengths, and limits of maps, globes, and atlases; identify important map features; and describe the basic meaning of latitude and longitude.
Skills	You can use titles, legends, compass directions, scales, grids, atlas indexes, and simple coordinates to find and explain locations.
Products	You can create a sketch map, route map, thematic map, comparison report, interview summary, or fieldwork map that uses geographic information clearly.
Reasoning	You can choose a suitable geographic tool, explain why it fits a task, and recognize that flat world maps involve projection choices.
Transfer	You can apply map-reading skills to a new place, compare sources, notice when information may be outdated, and make safer, better-informed decisions using geographic tools.

OERs on the Topic

For a wider introduction to maps, you can explore this English Wikipedia article:

Linked Learning Areas

Maps, globes, and atlases connect geography with mathematics, history, science, technology, travel, environmental studies, and everyday problem-solving. The most important ideas are using representations carefully, understanding location and direction, reading symbols and scale, comparing sources, and choosing the right tool for a question.

Using Maps, Globes, and Atlases

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