Inquiry

How are places located on a map?

 

Have you ever played the game, Battleship?

Players take turns guessing where the other player's ships are located by calling out the coordinates on a grid.  For example, there is a ship located at A1 and A2. 

A grid over the surface of the earth is the idea behind longitude and latitude.

Battleship game via Wikicommons

The earth is divided into four hemispheres (north, south, east, west).  The equator (latitude line in the middle of the earth) and prime meridian (long line going through Greenwich, England) divide the earth. The equator is at 0 latitude. Lines south of the equator are in the southern latitude (S). Lines north of the equator in the northern latitude (N).

The prime meridian is at 0 longitude. Longitude lines east of the prime meridian are known as East longitude (E); lines west of the prime meridian are known as West longitude (W).

In which hemisphere is Canada located? 
northwest-northeast
southwest-southeast

Resources for Inquiry


  1. Textbook
      • Read page 41.
      • Examine the map carefully.  The lines of longitude are the up and down lines.  You will notice that they are measured along the bottom, in degrees, west or east (150°W, 30°W, 0°, 60°E, 120°E).  The lines of latitude are the side-to-side lines.  They are measured across the side, in degrees, north or south (60°S, 0°, 30°N).
      • Complete the questions for "Practice the Skill" at the bottom of page 41.  (For #2, if you do not have access to an atlas, use the map on pages 340 – 341 of the textbook.)

  2. Websites

    Notebook


    Click here to download, save to your Unit 2 Notebook, and use this file to write responses as you complete your inquiry.

    When you feel confident about the information you explored in this inquiry, complete the Lesson 5 Self-Check on the following page.