Topographical Map Skills

Keyword: ‘from’

When identifying direction, take note of the word ‘from’, which stands for the point you are taking direction from/start point.

Recap: Identifying Compass Direction

Steps1. Place a right-angled cross on Location A2. Indicate the cardinal points on the cross (N)3. Draw a straight line between the Locations A and

B4. Place a protractor on the paper such that the

centre of the protractor is on Location A5. Read clockwise from 0° to get the compass

bearing

Recap: Steps to identify compass bearing (p.45)

StepsCompass bearing more than 180°

Repeat step 1 – 3 4. Turn the protractor around and measure the

angle. 5. Add 180° to the bearing measured by the

protractor in a clockwise direction

Recap: Steps to identify compass bearing (p.45)

1. Measure straight- line distances between two points. 2. Use contour lines to describe the relief of the land.3. Use map symbols to comprehend and locate features

on the map.

Lesson Objective

Scale: Ratio of distance on a map and actual distance on the ground

Purpose: Use to find out the actual distance between two points on the ground

Topographical map features : Scale

Affects the level of details that can be shown

Smaller scale = Big area (e.g. country map) with few details

(E.g.1: 80 000 000 pg 198)

Larger scale = Small area (e.g. city map) with many details

(E.g. 1:25 000)

Topographical map features : Scale

Types of scales A scale can either be a statement scale or a linear scale

Geographical Investigations and Skills8

Type of scale

Statement Line or linear

Example 1 cm represents 0.5 km

What it means

A distance of 1 cm on the map represents a distance of 0.5 km on the ground

On the linear scale, 2 cm represents 1 km on the ground

Measuring Straight-Line Distance

How to measure straight-line distances using linear scaleSteps: 1.Draw a straight line

joining point X and point Y

2.Using a strip of paper, mark out the distance between the two points

10

How to measure straight-line distances using linear scaleSteps: 3. Place the strip of paper on the linear scale and read off the measured distancePlace Point Y on a whole number to read the decimal value easily

Geographical Investigations and Skills11

Practice Time!

Contour Lines

Join places of the same places of the same height. Show the height of the land. Make use of contour lines to describe relief.

Relief refers to the physical shape of the Earth’s Surface.

Contour Lines (TB pg 40 & 42)

Cross section of a physical landformContour Lines (TB pg 40 & 42)

Using Map Symbols

Topographical map features (TB pg 40) Legend: Shows and

explains the symbols that are used in a map.

Help us to understand maps and locate features on maps

Map symbols

Shows us linear

features such as

roads and railways

Shows us features that occupy a

small area

Show us features that occupy a wide

area

Application

What do the yellow and orange coding represents?

Practice Time!

1. Measure straight- line distances between two points. 2. Use contour lines to describe the relief of the land.3. Use map symbols to comprehend and locate features

on the map.

Recap

Topographical Map Skills

Grid Reference

s

Four Figure

Six figure

Compass Direction

Compass Bearing

Measuring straight

line distance

Understanding Map

Symbols

Understanding

Contour lines

- Find out the distance.

- Understand the location better.

- Identify the location.