--- title: "From a Drawing to a Map" book: "Primary & Middle School Earth and Space Sciences" subject: earth language: en chapter: 4 exercises: 11 source: https://one-course.com/books/earth/1/en/chapter/4-from-a-drawing-to-a-map license: CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0 credit: "One Earth and Space Sciences Book, One Course (one-course.com)" --- # Chapter 4 — From a Drawing to a Map A pigeon flies over the school. What does it see? Not the front doors, not the windows, not the children’s faces: from up there it sees only the tops of things. The roofs of the buildings are grey rectangles. The yard is a big empty shape with a few round treetops. The paths are thin lines. The pigeon sees the school from above — the way a [map](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map) shows it. ![The countryside seen from a hot-air balloon: fields, a village, a road, a river and its bridge, all seen from above.](https://one-course.com/images/onecourse/chapters/earth-1/g2-drawing-to-map/img-49b9566a68dc.jpg) *The countryside seen from a hot-air balloon: fields, a village, a road, a [river](https://one-course.com/books/earth/1/en/chapter/2-landscapes-around-us#def-g1-landscapes-around-us-water) and its bridge, all seen from above.* ## 4.1 Seen from the side, seen from above Put a few toy blocks on a table. Look at them from the side: you see their height, and the ones at the back are hidden behind the ones in front. Now stand up and look down on them from above: you no longer see how tall they are, but you see exactly where each one is, and how far apart they are. ![Three blocks on a table: a tall red block, a flat blue block and a yellow cone. From above, the cone is a circle and the tall block is a square.](https://one-course.com/images/onecourse/chapters/earth-1/g2-drawing-to-map/fig-1a2ac3a8d9f8.svg) *Three blocks on a table: a tall red block, a flat blue block and a yellow cone. From above, the cone is a circle and the tall block is a square.* **Definition 4.1 (Plan).** A *plan* is a drawing of a small place — a room, a house, a school, a garden — as it is seen from straight above, drawn smaller than it really is but with every part in its right place. ## 4.2 Drawing smaller: the scale A classroom is far too big to draw on a sheet of paper as it is. We draw it smaller — but every part must be smaller in the same way, or the [plan](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-plan) will lie. The easiest way is to use squared paper: one square of the paper stands for one metre of the classroom. **Definition 4.2 (Scale).** The *scale* of a [plan](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-plan) or a [map](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map) tells how much smaller the drawing is than the real place: how far on the ground a length on the drawing stands for. For example: *1 square stands for 1 metre*. ![The plan of a classroom on squared paper, with its title, its legend, its scale and its compass rose. The north wall, with the board, is at the top.](https://one-course.com/images/onecourse/chapters/earth-1/g2-drawing-to-map/fig-ba7ef67463f4.svg) *The [plan](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-plan) of a classroom on squared paper, with its title, its [legend](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-legend), its [scale](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-scale) and its [compass rose](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-directions). The north wall, with the board, is at the top.* **Method 4.3 (Measuring on a plan).** To find a real length on a [plan](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-plan) drawn on squares: 1. count the squares along the length you want; 2. read the [scale](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-scale) : how much one square stands for; 3. give the answer in metres (or in kilometres on a [map](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map) ). **Example 4.4 (How long is the classroom?).** Along the north wall of the [plan](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-plan) there are 10 squares. One square stands for 1 metre, so the classroom is 10 metres long. Along the west wall there are 8 squares: it is 8 metres wide. The board covers 4 squares of the north wall: it is 4 metres long. ![Drawing the plan of a bedroom on squared paper.](https://one-course.com/images/onecourse/chapters/earth-1/g2-drawing-to-map/img-af8639f2148c.jpg) *Drawing the [plan](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-plan) of a bedroom on squared paper.* ## 4.3 From a plan to a map A [plan](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-plan) shows a small place. When we draw a bigger place — a whole town, a [valley](https://one-course.com/books/earth/1/en/chapter/2-landscapes-around-us#def-g1-landscapes-around-us-landform), a country — we draw a [map](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map). **Definition 4.5 (Map).** A *map* is a drawing of a large part of the Earth’s surface, seen from above and drawn much smaller than it really is. On a [map](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map), a house is far too small to draw as it really is, so [map](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map) makers use small signs: a dot for a farm, a blue line for a [river](https://one-course.com/books/earth/1/en/chapter/2-landscapes-around-us#def-g1-landscapes-around-us-water), a green shape for a wood. The meaning of every sign is given in a box beside the [map](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map). **Definition 4.6 (Legend).** A *map symbol* is a small sign that stands for one kind of thing on a [plan](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-plan) or a [map](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map). The *legend* is the box that shows every symbol of the [map](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map) with its meaning. ## 4.4 Finding our way: the four directions and the compass rose To say where something is, “on the left” or “on the right” is not enough: what is on your left is on the right of someone facing you. People use four directions that are the same for everybody: north, east, south and west. You have met them in the physics books, with the compass. In the morning the Sun rises in the east, and in the evening it sets in the west; north and south are halfway between them, opposite each other. ![A compass rose. Between north and east is north-east; between south and west, south-west.](https://one-course.com/images/onecourse/chapters/earth-1/g2-drawing-to-map/fig-a8e82c35c62b.svg) *A [compass rose](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-directions). Between north and east is north-east; between south and west, south-west.* **Definition 4.7 (Compass rose).** A *compass rose* is the star drawn on a [map](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map) that shows the directions north, east, south and west. On most [maps](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map) north is at the top, east on the right, south at the bottom and west on the left. **Safety.** Never look at the Sun to find east or west: it can hurt your eyes for ever. Look at the shadows instead, or use a compass. ## 4.5 Reading a real map Every good [map](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map) has four parts: a **title** that says what the [map](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map) shows, a **[legend](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-legend)**, a **[scale](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-scale)**, and a **[compass rose](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-directions)** (or at least an arrow pointing north). Here is the [map](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map) of a hilly [valley](https://one-course.com/books/earth/1/en/chapter/2-landscapes-around-us#def-g1-landscapes-around-us-landform), the Varden Hills. It is the invented [valley](https://one-course.com/books/earth/1/en/chapter/2-landscapes-around-us#def-g1-landscapes-around-us-landform) that you will meet again and again in this book and in the next ones, each time drawn in more detail. ![A simple map of the Varden Hills, with its title, its legend, its scale and its compass rose. The river flows from west to east.](https://one-course.com/images/onecourse/chapters/earth-1/g2-drawing-to-map/fig-ad6254d0cb8e.svg) *A simple [map](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map) of the Varden Hills, with its title, its [legend](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-legend), its [scale](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-scale) and its [compass rose](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-directions). The [river](https://one-course.com/books/earth/1/en/chapter/2-landscapes-around-us#def-g1-landscapes-around-us-water) flows from west to east.* **Method 4.8 (Reading a map).** 1. Read the title: what place does the [map](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map) show? 2. Read the [legend](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-legend) : what does each symbol mean? 3. Find the [compass rose](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-directions) : where is north? 4. Read the [scale](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-scale) , and count squares to find distances. **Example 4.9 (From the farm to the village).** On the [map](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map) of the Varden Hills, the farm is south of the [river](https://one-course.com/books/earth/1/en/chapter/2-landscapes-around-us#def-g1-landscapes-around-us-water). To go to the village, the farmer takes the road eastwards, crosses the [river](https://one-course.com/books/earth/1/en/chapter/2-landscapes-around-us#def-g1-landscapes-around-us-water) on the bridge, and goes on to the north-east. The village is 5 squares east of the farm and 2 squares north of it: that is 5 kilometres to the east and 2 kilometres to the north. ## 4.6 Exercises **Exercise 4.1 ★.** Is a [plan](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-plan) drawn as seen from the side, or as seen from above? **Solution of Exercise 4.1.** As seen from above. **Exercise 4.2 ★.** On the [plan](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-plan) of the classroom, what is drawn in blue on the west wall? What is in the north-east corner? **Solution of Exercise 4.2.** The blue lines on the west wall are the windows. In the north-east corner there is the cupboard. **Exercise 4.3 ★.** Name the four parts that every good [map](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map) should have. **Solution of Exercise 4.3.** A title, a [legend](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-legend), a [scale](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-scale) and a [compass rose](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-directions) (or an arrow pointing north). **Exercise 4.4 ★.** On most [maps](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map), which direction is at the top? Which is on the left? **Solution of Exercise 4.4.** North is at the top; west is on the left. **Exercise 4.5 ★.** On the [plan](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-plan) of the classroom, a pupils’ desk covers 2 squares by 1 square. How long and how wide is a desk in the real classroom? **Solution of Exercise 4.5.** One square stands for 1 metre: the desk is 2 metres long and 1 metre wide. **Exercise 4.6 ★.** On the [map](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map) of the Varden Hills, what does the brown square stand for? And the green shape? **Solution of Exercise 4.6.** The brown square is the farm; the green shape is the wood. **Exercise 4.7 ★★.** On the [map](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map) of the Varden Hills, is the wood north or south of the [river](https://one-course.com/books/earth/1/en/chapter/2-landscapes-around-us#def-g1-landscapes-around-us-water)? Is it east or west of the farm? **Solution of Exercise 4.7.** The wood is south of the [river](https://one-course.com/books/earth/1/en/chapter/2-landscapes-around-us#def-g1-landscapes-around-us-water), and east of the farm. **Exercise 4.8 ★★.** On the [map](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map) of the Varden Hills, the whole [map](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-map) is 10 squares from west to east and 8 squares from south to north. How many kilometres is that in each direction? **Solution of Exercise 4.8.** One square stands for 1 kilometre: 10 kilometres from west to east and 8 kilometres from south to north. **Exercise 4.9 ★★.** On the classroom [plan](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-plan), how many pupils’ desks are there? A pupil sits at the desk nearest to the door. Is it in the north or in the south of the classroom? **Solution of Exercise 4.9.** Three rows of three desks: 9 desks. The door is in the south part of the east wall, so the desk nearest to the door is in the south (the south-east corner of the room). **Exercise 4.10 ★★.** Lucas draws a [plan](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-plan) of his bedroom. His bed is 2 metres long. With the [scale](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-scale) “1 square stands for 1 metre”, how many squares long is the bed on his [plan](#def-g2-drawing-to-map-plan)? His bedroom is 4 metres long and 3 metres wide: how many squares does the whole room cover? **Solution of Exercise 4.10.** The bed is 2 squares long. The room is 4 squares by 3 squares: 3 rows of 4 squares, that is $4 + 4 + 4 = 12$ squares. **Exercise 4.11 ★★.** Lena says: “The [river](https://one-course.com/books/earth/1/en/chapter/2-landscapes-around-us#def-g1-landscapes-around-us-water) is on my left.” Why does this not tell us where the [river](https://one-course.com/books/earth/1/en/chapter/2-landscapes-around-us#def-g1-landscapes-around-us-water) is? Say it again in a way that is true for everybody, if she stands on the farm of the Varden Hills. **Solution of Exercise 4.11.** “Left” depends on which way Lena is facing: if she turns round, the [river](https://one-course.com/books/earth/1/en/chapter/2-landscapes-around-us#def-g1-landscapes-around-us-water) is on her right. For everybody: “the [river](https://one-course.com/books/earth/1/en/chapter/2-landscapes-around-us#def-g1-landscapes-around-us-water) is north of the farm”.