Reading a Map

Key is a box on the map that tells what each symbol on the map stands for. 

For example, a circle may stand for a city, or a triangle may stand for a campsite.  It may also explain that a certain color stands for something.  For example, a green shape on the map may stand for a park.

Scale is a way of showing size on a map.  Maps are much smaller than the area they represent.  For example, two streets might be 1 inch apart on a road map, but this distance on the map might stand for a real distance of 100 miles between the streets.

Grids are sets of lines on a map that cross one another to form boxes.  They help us find a place on a map.  Latitude (horizontal lines) show how far north or south of the Equator it is and Longitude (vertical lines) show how far east or west it is from Greenwich, England.

Indexes are lists of towns, roads, and other features.  Indexes help us find things on a map.