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Social Studies
Geographic Tools
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Region | A large area that shares physical or human characteristics. |
Landform | Natural features found on Earth. |
Climate | The usual pattern of weather in a place over a period of time. |
Compass rose | A symbol on a map that shows direction. |
Legend or key | The boxed list showing what symbols or colors represent on a map. |
Symbol | A mark, a drawing, or a color on a map that stands for something else. |
Scale | A ruler that shows distances on a map. |
Grid system | Numbered and lettered rows of imaginary squares along the edges of a map. |
Latitude | Lines that measure the distance north and south from the equator. |
Longitude | Lines that measure the distance east and west from the Prime Meridian. |
Equator | An imaginary line drawn around the Earth equally distant from both the North and the South Poles, dividing the planet into a northern hemisphere and a southern hemisphere. It constitutes the parallel of zero (0) degrees. |
Hemisphere | A half of the Earth usually divided into the northern and southern half by the equator or western and eastern halves by an imaginary line passing through the poles. |
Cardinal directions | The major directions: North, South, East, and West. |
Ordinal directions | The directions found half way between the cardinal directions. Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, and Southwest. |
Elevation | The distance or height above sea level. |
Irrigation | To bring water to or the redirection of water. |
Satellite map | Shows a picture of a land or water area which is taken from space. |