Reading Maps

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Reading maps is an important skill that even the youngest of students can learn and develop from an early age. Maps combine reading and math skills and helps build spatial sense and visual literacy. Remind your children that a map is a tool that shows details about an area. A map can show continents, countries, states, and cities or show the roads and landmarks of a town. It can show routes of a transportation system, such as bus or subway lines, different landforms and elevations, different kinds of natural resources, or varying temperatures in a specific area. A map can also show historical data, such as changes in population, housing development, or crime. A globe is a map on a round model that shows places on Earth. Display different maps for your children and discuss what information each map communicates. Then point out different parts of the map such as the map key or map legend, scale, and compass rose.