Using Maps: Titles, Keys, Legends, and Compasses: First Grade Social
A map is a special drawing of a place seen from above, using titles, keys, symbols, and compasses to help us navigate and understand the world.
What Is a Map?
A map is a flat picture of a real place drawn from an overhead view, also called a bird's-eye view. Imagine you are a bird flying high up in the blue sky looking straight down at the ground. You would see the rooftops of houses, winding ribbons of roads, blue patches of ponds, and green squares of parks. That bird's-eye view is what maps show us.
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| SIDE VIEW VS. MAP VIEW |
| |
| SIDE VIEW (Ground Level): MAP VIEW (Bird's-Eye): |
| |
| /\ +-----+ |
| / \ | / \ | |
| /====\ [House] | | | | [House] |
| | [] | +-----+ |
| |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
Why People Need Maps
People rely on maps every single day. Hikers carry trail maps so they do not get lost in deep forests. Firefighters study city maps to find the quickest route to an emergency. Families use road maps to plan exciting vacation trips to beaches and national parks. Maps turn big, complicated landscapes into clear diagrams we can hold in our hands.
The Four Essential Map Elements
To read and understand any map, you need to know how to use its four essential tools: the map title, the map key or legend, the symbols, and the compass rose.
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| FOUR ESSENTIAL MAP PARTS |
+-----------------+-------------------------------------------+
| Map Title | Tells you what place the map shows |
| Compass Rose | Shows cardinal directions (N, S, E, W) |
| Map Key/Legend | Explains the meaning of each symbol |
| Map Symbols | Small pictures that stand for real things |
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The Map Title
The title is located at the top of the map. It tells you immediately what place or area you are looking at.
A title might say "Sunny Acres Neighborhood," "Our Elementary School Grounds," or "Map of the United States." Always read the title first so you know the geographic setting of the map.
The Compass Rose
The compass rose is a printed graphic that points out cardinal directions. It usually looks like a decorative four-pointed star.
The top point is marked with the letter N for North, the bottom with S for South, the right point with E for East, and the left point with W for West. The compass rose helps you determine which way is North on that specific map.
COMPASS ROSE
N
|
W <----+----> E
|
S
Map Symbols: Pictures with Meaning
Because real buildings, rivers, and trees are too large to draw on paper, cartographers—people who make maps—use small pictures called symbols.
A blue wavy line might stand for a flowing river. A small green triangle might represent a pine tree or a park. A small square with a flag on top often stands for a school building, while a red cross stands for a hospital.
The Map Key or Legend
The map key, which is also called a legend, is a small explanatory box placed in the corner of the map. The key lists each symbol used on the map and explains what real-world object it represents.
Without a key, a map would just look like random shapes and dots. The key unlocks the code of the map so you can understand what each drawing means.
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| MAP KEY |
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| [===] Paved Road /\/\ Mountain Range |
| ~~~~~ River [+] Hospital |
| [P] Town Park [S] School Building |
| (*) Capital City [B] Public Library |
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Reading a Sample Map
Let us look at a simple neighborhood map using our four map elements together.
MAP TITLE: SUNNY VALLEY PARK
N
|
W <----+----> E
|
S
+---------------------------------------------+
| [S] ~~~~~ |
| School ~River~ [P] |
| ~~~~~ Park |
| |
| ======================================= |
| Main Street |
| |
| [B] [+] |
| Library Hospital |
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Looking at this map, you can use the compass rose and key to find locations. The School is in the Northwest corner. The Park is in the Northeast corner. If you walk along Main Street toward the East, you will pass the Library on your right and reach the Hospital.
Exercises and Review
Exercise 1: What is a map key, and why is it sometimes called a legend?
Exercise 1 Solution: A map key, also called a legend, is a special box on a map that shows each symbol used on the map alongside an explanation of what real-world feature or building that symbol represents. It is called a key because it unlocks the meaning of the drawings on the map.
Exercise 2: Look at the sample map of Sunny Valley Park above. Is the School located to the North or to the South of Main Street?
Exercise 2 Solution: The School is located to the North of Main Street, because on the map diagram, the School sits above Main Street toward the top where the compass rose points North.