Maps

​Maps are flat drawings or images of a place or location.

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Maps help us find things or show us where something is compared to something else.

​Maps

​Many maps use the compass directions of north, south, east, and west to help us find things.

​Maps

​Maps use a key to tell us important information about how far away something is, what a place looks like, or what is found there.

Globes

​Globes are round models of the earth.

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Globes are used to show oceans and continents.

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It shows the sizes and shapes of landforms and bodies of water.

​Globes

Globes use the color blue to show water and greens and browns to show land.

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We also use globes to show where something is compared to the rest of the world.

​Continents

Continents are large areas of land that are surrounded by oceans.

​Continents

​There are 7 continents:

1. North America

2. South America

3. Europe

4. Asia

5. Africa

6. Australia, and

7. Antarctica

​Continents

The continents are part of the earth’s outer layer called the crust.

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Each continent has a different size and shape.

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The size and shape of each continent come from the different land formations of each.

​Land

Land is made of soil and rocks. Found on the earth’s surface.

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There are many different formations of land.

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Scientists name these landforms based on their size, shape, or elevation.

​Land

Here are some common landforms.

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Most areas of land are covered by plants, but some are too high or dry for plants to grow.

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Water

​Water covers much of the earth’s surface.

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There are many different bodies of water.

Water

​Oceans and seas are the largest bodies of water. They have salty water.

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The Pacific Ocean is the largest body of water on earth.

Water

Other bodies of water are lakes and rivers.

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Most lakes and rivers have water that is not salty or what we call freshwater.