Showing the Local Area on a Map

Introduction

There are many physical and human features in the area where you live and around your school. Can you name some of them? In this chapter, you are going to learn the main physical and human features of a local area and how these can be shown on a map.

What is a Map?

Think of the route you always follow as you travel from your home to the market or place of worship. Do you always use a map? Every day we use maps to move to different places. These maps are not always drawn but exist in our minds. They are called mental maps. There are also maps drawn on flat surfaces such as paper. These represent part of the earth or the whole earth. In Topic 3, you will learn that reading and using maps is one of the ways in which we can find out information about the earth.

Activity 2.1: Understanding what a map is

Study Figure 2.1 and do the activity that follows.

Figure 2.1: Maps and photographs

1. Decide which of the above drawings are maps. Give reasons to support your views.
2. Which ones are photographs? Give reasons to support your views.
3. What kind of features can be shown on maps?
4. How can a photograph be useful when constructing a map of an area?
5. Write at least one sentence explaining what a map is and share it with the rest of the class.

A map is a special kind of drawing of the earth’s surface. It can show the whole world or part of it. Again, you have learnt that we represent features on a map by means of outlines but not as pictures. The features on the ground are drawn in plan as if the observer is seeing them directly from above.
On a map, real features and places are represented using symbols. These may include signs, colours, shades and abbreviations. How do features appear on a photograph? The place on the map where all symbols are explained is called a key. You are going to learn more about these later in this topic.

Activity 2.2: Representing features on a map

Look at Figure 2.2 above and do the following:
1. Identify the symbols used to represent the hotels, botanical garden, market, stadium, railway line, lake, rocky island and ferry terminal.
2. In your notebook, construct a key for the map.

Mapping a Local Area

You now know what a map is and how physical and built features can be shown on a map. Every time you move to different places, there are certain important features which you see along the way. These assist you in tracing the place you are going to. Think of those features and make a list of them. The features you have listed are called landmarks.

Activity 2.3: Drawing a map of a small area

1. Draw a map to show a visitor to your area how to get to your school.
2. Exchange your map with your neighbour.
3. Discuss and comment on each other’s map.
4. Share your comments with the rest of the class.
When we draw a map of an area such as a village, town or school, we put only the most important features in the area. These enable us to follow routes in the area and to find where certain things are located.

Qualities of a good map

Not every map drawn can be used to find our way about or to describe an area. When we draw maps we take great care to ensure that other people can read, interpret and use our maps. Such maps are called good maps.

Activity 2.4: Identifying qualities of a map

1. In pairs, draw a map showing the route from your school to home.
The map should show the physical and human features found along the way.
2. Swap the maps so that each can find out where the other lives.
3. Can you follow that map and reach your friend’s home?
4. What things on the map can assist you in reaching there?
5. Ask your friend to describe the things on your map that can help him/her to follow the map up to your home.

For us to be able to use maps to move around places or to guide other people to places they have never been to, or to describe an area, the map should have certain features that assist us in doing so. In the discussion with your friend, you may have pointed out that you could follow a map to reach each other’s home using a map title, key and a compass rose or direction finder. These are called qualities of a good map.

 Attempt Activity of Integration

1. Watch this video carefully

and answer the following questions.
Search on the internet what Mind maps are! Then use the content in the above video. Summarize the content and come up with a mind map on Elements of A Map. Use any of the software to create a mind map.
You will share your screen and discuss your mind map and how you created it also submit the assignment as usual under Messages search for KAKURU BENARD.

2. Using these maps provided below for reference purposes only

draw a sketch of Uganda showing at least 6 Lakes and Rivers, 3 latitudes and longitudes, and neighboring countries. Use any software to come up with a map or handwritten scan and Submit your work on the site

Chapter Summary

In this chapter, you have learnt that:
1. A map is a special drawing of the earth’s surface showing features in plan.
2. We use maps in our day-to-day activities.
3. When drawing a map of any area, we do not include everything in the area.
4. For a map to be useful to us, it should have special qualities.