Maps

What are maps click this link to go to How Stuff Works "Maps" Video

Maps show us many types of information. We can learn about a country's landforms, weather, population…… almost anything simply by reading a map!

Map coordinates

http://pbskids.org/wildkratts/games/aardvark-town/

#1 Activity

Look at the relief map of Michigan.  It does not include a map key. Draw your own version of this map. Include a map key that will help a visitor to our state identify the various landforms. Make sure to highlight our wonderful great lakes. You can draw this using MS Paint or draw with colored pencils and scan the finished picture.

# 2 Activity

Let's compare and contrast the landforms, recreational areas, populations and products found in Tennessee to those found in Michigan

Look at this shaded relief map of Tennessee.

What features are the same as Michigan and how do they differ?

Write a paragraph about what you have learned!

#3 Activity

 This map of farmlands in Tennessee shows areas of farming. Can you locate a map that shows the farmlands of Michigan?

Copy and paste the URL , and the map into MS Word.

Activity #4

Let's use maps to compare The Great Smoky National Park in Tennessee and The Sleeping Bear Dunes Recreational area in Michigan.

The map of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park shows lots of information about this National Park. Study the map. Copy and answer these questions.

What color represents the Park?

List three rivers that flow through the Park.

List three mountains located in this mountain range.

Draw the symbol for Ranger Station.

 Explore the links below to learn more about Sleeping Bear Dunes Recreational area in Michigan.

http://www.leelanau.com/dunes/trails/ 

  sleeping bear dunes maps.pdf 

Activity #5 Road maps help us find our way to different locations. Go to the Lycos RoadMaps site. Enter our school's address.

Review Different Types of Maps with this video

Use this site to create an interactive map

DO THE TALLYWALKER

PUN (DIT) INTENDED

By Bob Culbertson, ©1998  

About a 150 years ago British secret agents, disguised as Buddhist pilgrims visiting holy sites or Moslem traders peddling their wares, were traveling the roads, trails and mountain passes of the forbidden countries surrounding India. These agents, hand picked native Indians secretly trained in the surveying arts, had a few carefully disguised instruments, a measured pace and the knowledge that they would be killed if anyone discovered their true purpose.

For the tallywalker you’ll need 10 small beads, 4 larger beads and a long shoelace.

• Double, or triple, strand the shoelace (so the beads don’t slip too easily) and tie a big knot in the center, thread the 10 small beads on one side of the knot and the 4 big ones on the other.

   

• Tie the ends together to make a large loop with small beads on one side and large ones on the other that can be slid up and down the string.

   

• Using it is easy too. Every 100 paces move a small bead to the end of the loop, when you’ve moved all 10 small beads then move 1 big bead to the end and start on the small ones again. If you keep doing this until you’ve moved all the beads you’ll have a tally of 5000 paces (10 small beads at 100 paces each = 1000 paces) + (4 large beads at 1000 paces each = 4000 paces) = 5000 paces total.

  Practically every park has a simple map of its hiking trails and everyone with a tallywalker will need one. Any kind of pen or pencil and a flat surface to write on would be handy, the brim of a hat will do fine, but not necessary.

  Now you’ve got everything you need so let’s give it a try:

   

• Assemble at the starting point, whether it be the parking lot or trailhead, and make sure everyone is ready, return time decided upon and equipment checked (it would be good to have a few extra tallywalkers, maps and pencils available). Everyone makes a mark on the map as to where they start, decide where will be the first check point, take the tally in one hand, and GO!

   

• Everyone keeps track of their own paces and at the first check point they write the tallywalker’s number on the map. Reset the tallywalker to zero then start pacing off again to the next checkpoint and so on until the return point is reached. Each map will have marks on the trail with a number beside each that shows how far you’ve traveled measured in paces.

   

• When you’re ready to return reset the tallywalkers and start counting again. If you go back the same way you came then everyone will know about how far it is to the next checkpoint.

  Some hints: Don’t have a park nearby? City streets work fine too. Make the checkpoints fairly close together at the beginning of the hike, that will give everyone a chance to figure out how to use the tallywalkers and maps. Everyone’s pace is different so individual maps are needed; if you want to calibrate your pace go to a 500 meter track at a local school and walk around it a couple of times while using the tallywalker (2 times around the track is 1 kilometer, about 1000 yards). When returning you can set the tallywalker to the last count and subtract paces but this is harder to do (addition is always easier than subtraction) and not recommended. If you mess up a count just start over again at the next checkpoint. The checkpoints would be great places to take a break, give a demonstration or tell a story (maybe about pundits?). I certainly would want a tallywalker if I were blind or walking at night. Why?

  Reference:

  Trespassers on the Roof of the World: The Race for Lhasa

  by Peter Hopkirk, Oxford University Press, 1983

Using Latitude and Longitude

WEBSITE: http://www.oldmapsonline.org