Skill: Basic Elements
Essential Element 1: Standard 1
A Robinson Proieclion Map
Introducing the Map
ANSWER KEY
Monday
1. projection
2. Robinson
projection
map
Tuesday
1. 15°,30°,45°,60°,75°;
90°
2. from 0° to 180°
Wednesday
1.
5; Mrica, Antarctica, Asia,
Australia, and South America
0
2. 30 N and 45°N
Thursday
1. Africa
2. Australia
Share with students that the only kind of map that can show the Earth
accurately is a globe. The globe shows Earth as round with a curved
surface. Cartographers (mapmakers) have a difficult job drawing a
flat map. So, they have developed different map projections to help.
Projections are ways of transferring the curved surface of the Earth onto
a flat map. They use a grid based on the lines of latitude and longitude.
Explain to students that all projections distort distance, direction, size,
or shape in some way.
Tell students that one projection is called the Robinson projection.
Show students the projection map. Explain that it is an oval-shaped
projection. The shape and size of the continents are shown accurately,
but the water areas are expanded to fill the extra space. Tell students that
this projection map was created by the American cartographer Arthur
Robinson.
Talk about the lines of latitude and longitude that are shown, especially
the equator and prime meridian. Students should notice that the latitude
and longitude lines on this map are in increments of 15°. With this kind
of map, students are able to find geographic addresses, or coordinates, of
places in the world. This projection map also helps students visualize the
continents that make up the four hemispheres.
Friday
1. continents
2. Arctic Ocean; Southern
Ocean
Please note that in Week 8, students will be asked to compare this
Robinson projection map to a Mercator projection map.
Introducing Vocabulary
Challenge
Answers will vary, but students
should note that a globe is round or
spherical like the Earth. Flat maps
distort land and water areas.
coordinates
the latitude and longitude address of a place on a map
equator an imaginary line that runs around the center of Earth,
halfway between the North and South Poles at 0° latitude
geographic grid the intersecting pattern formed by the lines of
latitude and longitude
lines of latitude (parallels)
run parallel to the equator
imaginary lines on the Earth that
lines of longitude (meridians)
the North and South Poles
imaginary lines that run between
prime meridian an imaginary line that runs from the North Pole
to the South Pole at 0° longitude
proiection a system for mapping the round Earth on a flat surface
30
EMC 3714 • Daily Geography
Practice, Grade 5
©2004
by Evan-Moor Corp.