map skills

Have you ever used a map to find your way to a special place? Maps show directions, but maps have other jobs, too. If you want to learn about the world, study maps.

Regional maps show us where different groups of people can be found. They show us where different tribes lived in the United States. They show us information about the weather in areas. They can show us where to find different religions of the world.

Product maps show us the kinds of things that farmers grow. They show us the animals that the farmers raise. This kind of map shows us that farmers in Iowa grow corn and wheat. It shows us that the farmers in Texas raise cattle.

Density maps compare numbers of people living in one place to numbers of people living elsewhere.

Route maps show the path or movement of a group of people. We can use a route map to find out where Christopher Columbus sailed his ships. They can show us the way that supplies are moved across an area. They can show us where the pioneers went across the trails.

Each kind of map gives different information. Think about what you are looking for. What do you want to learn? Find the map that is best and dig in!