Geography: The Power
of Maps.
Ivette Veiga
Digitally-Mediated & Learning
Instructor: Michelle Herrera
The story of the world begins with
Geography
Geography describes the earth land, water, plants, and animals life. It is the study
of places and its complex relationship between people, places, and the
environment.
We use geography skills when we make personal decisions such as where to locate
a city, a country, a landform, a new school, a grocery store, a desire store, among
others.
Maps are powerful tools

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A map is a symbolic representation of all or part of the planet on
a flat piece of paper. Maps can show small areas in great detail.
Maps release important concepts and ideas of geography and
history.
Maps are a valuable tool for non verbal people. Maps help them
find locations and more.
There three types of Maps:
Physical Maps:
Show the location, shape,
and the natural or artificial
physical features of an
area such as rivers,
mountains, plain, lakes,
seas, and oceans.
This high detailed physical
map of USA helps you
understands the variety of
American Landscape.
Political Maps:
Political Maps: show the boundaries that people
have crated to divide earth’s surface into
countries or other political territories.
Political Maps often include other features created
by people, such as capitals and major cities.
Thematic Maps:
Thematic Maps: are created to show specific
information about earth. For example, an
economic map might show the major resources in
a country such as industries and services. Other
maps might show travel routes of explorers,
locations of major historical events.
Map Tools
_ Map title: the type of map, subject of the map, and
specific information.
_ Map scale: the relationship between measurement
shown on a map and measurement of the earth’s
surface.
_ Map key or legend: specific information about the
map represented by symbols.
_ Compass rose: : indicates directions. The four cardinal
directions: north, south, east, and west.
_ Map grid: to help us find different places.
Quiz Time 
__ rivers, mountains, plain, lakes, seas, and
A.
Political Maps
B.
Physical Maps
oceans.
__ Countries, states, capitals, cities.
C.
Thematic Maps
__ Specific information such as travel routes,
important events, places
Latitude and Longitude
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The Global Grid: every place has a global address, also called its absolute location. You can
identify a place by naming the longitude and latitude lines that cross exactly at that place. For
example: Washington, DC Latitude: 25.79588 Longitude: -80.287498
Lines of latitude: circle the earth either north or south of the Equator.
Lines of longitude: stretch from the North Pole to the South Pole, either east or west of the
prime Meridian .
Latitude and Longitude (cont.)
How can I remember which lines are which?
Latitude lines are imaginary lines on the earth's surface. They run east
and west around the globe and tell you your distance north or south of
the Equator. The Equator is measured at 0º latitude, while the Poles lie at
latitudes 90º N (north) and 90º S (south).
Longitude lines are imaginary lines on the earth's surface that run from
pole to pole around the globe and tell you the distance east or west from
the Prime Meridian (0º). Places east of the Prime Meridian are known
as east longitude, and places west of the Prime Meridian are known as
west longitude.
Latitude and Longitude (cont.)
Every place on the earth has a unique position or “address” on this grid. The
distance between the lines is measure in degrees ( º ).
Miami International Airport
2100 NW 42nd Ave.
Miami, Fl 33142
Latitude: 25.79
Longitude: -80.28
Earth, Parallels and Meridians, Latitude and Longitude.
Geography: The Power of Maps.
References
Continent [Map]. (n.d.). Google Images: Earth’s Seven Continents. Retrieved from Creative Commons Search website:
http://media.web.britannica.com/eb-media/59/89959-004-732AD68F.gif
Creative Commons. (n.d.). CC search: Google images. Retrieved from
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Incheon_International_Airport.jpg
Florida [Map]. (n.d.). Google Images: Thematic Maps. Retrieved from Creative Common website:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/National-atlas-florida.png /
Igeo News. (2013, September). Earth, parallels and meridians, latitude and longitude [Creative Commons, YouTube video].
Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChBhKPhB4VE
National Geographic. (n.d.). Geography Skills Handbook, 1-15. Retrieved from
http://classroom.nbisd.org/webs/jbrake/upload/geoskils.pdf
North America [Map]. (n.d.). Google Images: Physical Map of North America. Retrieve from Creative Commons website:
http://www.nationsonline.org/maps/north_america_relief.jpg