Mapping Our World

Ask a question.

Gather information and observe (research)

Make a hypothesis (guess the answer)

Experiment and test your hypothesis.

Analyze your test results.

Modify your hypothesis, if necessary.

Present a conclusion.

A graph is a way to look at a lot of data in a short, picture-like way.  

Graphs make it easy to establish trends or patterns.  

The type of graph is determined by what type of study is being done.

An independent variable is a variable that you can control. 

For example, in an experiment on the effect of light on plant growth, you can control how much light a plant receives. To measure the change, you can put one plant near a window and another plant in a dark closet.

A map is a symbolic representation of selected characteristics of a place, usually drawn on a flat surface.

Maps present information about the world in a simple, visual way.

Latitude = distance north or south of the Equator

Also called Parallels

The Equator is the line of 0 degrees latitude.

The latitude of the North Pole is 90 degrees N, and the latitude of the South Pole is 90 degrees S.

Longitude is the measurement east or west of the prime meridian.

Longitude is measured by imaginary lines that run around the Earth vertically (up and down) and meet at the North and South Poles.

The meridian that runs through Greenwich, England, is the line of 0 degrees longitude, or prime meridian.