Year 7 - Geography
Different map projections
Geography: what makes a geographer?
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
Pupils will use atlases, maps and globes to develop their locational knowledge of the world. Pupils will focus in on specific places to develop an awareness of how geographers examine place. OS maps and GIS will be used alongside fieldwork to build pupils' procedural knowledge.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to describe how different map projections show the world.
Key Notes
- The representation of Earth on a globe shows landmasses in the correct shape and relative size.
- World maps project the spherical world (three dimensions) on to a flat surface (two dimensions).
- Some projections distort shape, others distort latitude and/or longitude.
Vocabulary To Learn
- map projection: the representation of an approximately spherical world as a flat map, necessarily involving distortion
- two-dimensional: something that is flat - its dimensions are height (top to bottom) and width (side to side)
- three-dimensional: something that is solid - its dimensions are height (top to bottom), width (side to side) and depth (front to back)
- topography: the study of the landforms and features of land surfaces
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Maps are always accurate.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this geography topic using two clear key points.
The representation of Earth on a globe shows landmasses in the correct shape and relative size. World maps project the spherical world (three dimensions) on to a flat surface (two dimensions).
2. Define this geography term and use it in an example. 'map projection'
the representation of an approximately spherical world as a flat map, necessarily involving distortion.
3. Correct this common geography misunderstanding.
Mistake: Maps are always accurate. Correction: Maps are never completely accurate.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Features of an OS map Study Guide
- Fieldwork: Analysing, concluding and evaluating survey data Study Guide
- Fieldwork: Planning and collecting survey data Study Guide
- Fieldwork: Presenting survey data Study Guide
- Four and Six Figure Grid References Study Guide
- Geography in secondary school Study Guide
- Latitude and longitude Study Guide
- Locational knowledge of the world Study Guide
- Scale and distance on OS maps Study Guide
- Showing height and relief on OS maps Study Guide
- Using a GIS to locate and analyse places around the world Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 7 Geography guide library.