World Affairs: atlas.

• Position: INTERNATIONAL - Brief article

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CRITICAL THINKING

Divide students into small groups to study the maps in the World Affairs atlas and to list the map features that they notice (examples: legend or key, lines of latitude and longitude, compass rose, scale of miles, topographical elements such as mountains or bodies of water)

[right arrow] Why is each of these map features useful or important? What kinds of questions does each one help people answer?

[right arrow] Think of times that you have consulted maps in or out of school. Which of these map features did you use?

WRITING PROMPT

Cartographers point out that all maps are historical--or tied to a particular point in time. What does this mean? What are some reasons that mapmakers had to update world maps centuries ago? Why do world maps have to be updated annually even now? Write an essay sharing your ideas.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Look at the Economic Map of the World on pp. 14-15. Do you think a country's geographical Location has a major impact on its wealth? Explain.

Look at the map of Europe. Near what geographical feature do many of the identified cities sit? (waterways) Why might this be? Now...