Elements of a good map

In Primary four you learnt about maps. Do you remember how you defined a map? A map is a drawing of a particular place showing land forms, plant cover and other important features.

A map can also be defined as a representation of a place or an object drawn as seen from above.

A picture is a representation of an object drawn as seen from

the sides.

 Activity

Activity

Draw maps for the following object

Table	…………………………	House	…………………
Tree	………………………	Basin	…………………
Bottle	………………………	Ball	…………………
Car	………………………	Box	…………………

A good map must have elements that help someone to read it easily. These elements can also be called features and these include the following:- title or heading, map key, scale, compass rose or direction, frame or boundary.

Title

A title is a name or heading to the map. A title gives general purpose of the map or it tells what the map is all about. For example, the title can be; a map showing Physical features, Vegetation or climate east, South Sudan in the north, Rwanda in the south west,

Tanzania in the south and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the West.

 Activity

What difficulty would a map reader find if a map has no title?

Key

A map key which is sometimes called a map legend shows what symbols on a map stand for. Symbols are signs that are used to represent the actual large features or objects on a map.

A key gives the interpretation of the symbols and signs used on a map

Examples of symbols and their meaning

 

Map scale 
A map scale is the relationship between the distance on the map and actual distances on the earth's surface. It compares a distance on a map with a distance on the ground.

A map scale helps you to find the real distance between places on a map. Each map in this book has a scale that shows Kilometres.

You can measure the distance on a map using a string and a ruler. For example, The distance in centimeters measured between two places P and Q for instance it can be 2cm.

Therefore, you can find the distance in kilometres using the scale

given below. 1 cm represents 100km.

1 cm = 100km

Therefore,

2 cm = (100 x 2) km

1 cm = 200 km

The distance between places Q and P is 200 km

Measuring long distances as shown on the map, you will need a string or thread. What you need to do is carefully to place a string along the length between town A and B. The string used is transferred to a ruler to Work out the distance between the two towns. For example, the distance got between A and B is 4cm.

If the scale given is 1 cm = 4 km 
Then 4 cm between town A and B will be 4cm = (4 x 4) km 
= 16km.

The distance from town A to B is 16 km.

Frame/boundary

A frame or boundary is a border or the outside edge, of a place. It encloses a map and defines the border of a map drawn.

 Activity

Which two countries share an international border with? 
Uganda?

Compass rose or direction

A compass rose or direction is used to show the direction of an area from a given point. Do you remember what you learnt about a compass rose in P.4?A compass rose has four main points called Cardinal or primary Points and four Semi Cardinal points.

The cardinal points are 90° from each other while semi cardinal points 
are 45° from each cardinal point.

 Activity

Activity:

1. Draw map symbols for the following features on a map

(a) Quarry (b) Factory

(b) Power generation station.

On a sheet of paper, draw a compass rose and label the cardinal and semi cardinal and semi cardinal directions.

3. Use the map scale given  to measure the distance between Apac and Kayunga on the map of Uganda on page 2. Take a straight string and Mark Apac and Kayunga on the map.Place the string at the marked points given carefully and hold the string to measure on the ruler the distance on the map and the length on the scale given above. Then go ahead to calculate the distance between Apac and Kayunga as follows:

Step 1 Place the string against Apac and Kayunga and mark the start and end

Of it.

Step II Place the string against the ruler to measure its length . The

measurement taken show the length between Apac and Kayunga

Step III Check the scale given, if it is linear scale the first work out to find what

1cm represents

For example :

3cm represent 150 km

3cm =150

3 3

1cm = 50km

Step IV If 1cm= 50km on the scale.

Therefore the distance between Apac and Kayunga on the map is 4cm.

Since you have to find out the distance in kilometres, then the distance

Will be 1cm = 50km, 4cm (50x 4)km = 200km

Therefore, the distance between Apac and Kayunga is 200km.

Key words

Location :       Is where something is found.

Cardinal:        Are directions north, east, west and south.

Globe:            Is a model of the earth.

Neighbor:      Something or someone that is close to a particular place or person.

Direction:      The way something is moving or facing.

Longitude:     Imaginary lines that run from north to south on a map or globe

Latitude:        Imaginary lines that run from East to west on a map.

 Activity

Exercise 1

1. Construct simple sentences using the following words;

a) Direction b) neighbour

c) Compass d) Latitude

2. What is a map?

3. Why is a title important on a map?

4. Why are symbols important on a map?

5. Draw a map symbol for a rift valley.

6. Name the compass point marked Y

7. Which African country lays West of Uganda?

8. Why is the Equator marked 0°?

9. Mention the method used to locate places on a map.

10. What is a landlocked country?

11. State one problem Uganda faces as a landlocked Country.

12. Suggest one way in which Uganda has overcome the Problem of being

landlocked.