What is a map?
A map is a flat drawing of a place. It shows where things are. Maps can show a room, a playground, a city, a country or the whole world!
Maps show places from above, like a bird’s-eye view. Imagine you are a bird flying over your house. You would see the roof, the yard, the street and the trees, all from the top.
What is a globe?
A globe is a round model of the Earth. The Earth is shaped like a ball, so a globe shows it the most correctly.
On a globe you can see:
- blue for water: oceans, lakes and rivers
- green, brown and other colours for land
- white at the top and bottom for the icy North Pole and South Pole
You can spin a globe to see different parts of the world.
Map or globe?
| Map | Globe |
|---|---|
| flat | round, like a ball |
| easy to fold and carry | hard to carry around |
| can show small places with lots of detail | shows the whole Earth |
| can show the whole world at once | you can only see one side at a time |
| shapes can be a little stretched | shows true shapes |
Both are useful! Use a globe to see the whole Earth. Use a map to find your way around.
Parts of a map
The title
The title tells you what the map shows, like Map of My School or Map of Canada.
Symbols
A symbol is a small picture or shape that stands for a real thing.
- a little tree for a park
- a blue line for a river
- a small house for a home
- a cross for a hospital
- a star for a capital city
The legend
The legend (also called a key) is a box that explains what each symbol means. Always check the legend first!
| Symbol | Means |
|---|---|
| 🌳 | park |
| 🏠 | house |
| 🏫 | school |
| ⭐ | capital city |
| blue line | river |
The compass rose
A compass rose shows directions: North, South, East and West. North is usually at the top of a map.
A fun way to remember the order going around: Never Eat Soggy Waffles.
Different kinds of maps
- Room map: shows where the bed, desk and door are
- School map: shows classrooms, the gym and the office
- Neighbourhood map: shows streets, homes, parks and stores
- Country map: shows provinces or states, cities and rivers
- World map: shows all the continents and oceans
- Treasure map: shows the way to a hidden prize!
Why we use maps
People use maps to:
- find their way to a new place
- plan a trip
- learn about faraway places
- see where things are, like the nearest park or library
Phones and cars use digital maps too. They still use symbols and directions, just like paper maps!
Try it yourself
- Find your country on a globe. Spin the globe and find an ocean.
- Draw a bird’s-eye view map of your bedroom. Add a legend with at least three symbols.
- Make a treasure map of your classroom or backyard. Hide a "treasure" and let a friend find it!
- Look at a map of your town. Can you find a park, a school and a river?
Tip for families
Use a map together on your next trip, even to the grocery store. Let your child point to where you are and where you’re going.
Quick recap
- A map is a flat drawing of a place from above.
- A globe is a round model of the Earth.
- Symbols stand for real things, and the legend explains them.
- A compass rose shows north, south, east and west.
- People use maps to find their way and learn about places.