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Geography · Grade 6

Global Coordinates and Map Projections

Learners use a linked 3D globe and flat map to give every place an address in latitude and longitude, switch between degree–minute and decimal notation, and work through the tricky cases: the equator, the prime meridian, island countries and the 180° line through Fiji. They then measure with map scale and discover why every flat world map stretches something, so they can judge which projection suits a purpose.

  • 4 lessons
  • About 100 minutes
  • Locate, measure and judge: 10 questions
  • Ways to answer: fill in the blanks, choose an answer, estimate, pin a map, pick map regions and match pairs
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What learners will discover

  • Describe a place with latitude and longitude, name its hemispheres, and convert between degree–minute and decimal notation.
  • Place and infer locations from coordinates on a globe and a flat map, including islands and places near the equator, the prime meridian and the 180° line.
  • Use a map scale to turn map distances into real distances, and explain why one scale bar cannot be true everywhere on a flat world map.
  • Explain how a projection distorts area, shape, distance or direction, and judge which projection fits a given purpose.

Lessons

  1. Lines that wrap the Earth 8 steps4 practiceabout 22 min
  2. Pin it: notation, islands and the 180° line 9 steps6 practiceabout 28 min
  3. Map scale: from centimetres to kilometres 8 steps5 practiceabout 22 min
  4. Projections: every flat map stretches something 8 steps3 practiceabout 25 min
  5. Locate, measure and judge 10 questions at the end

Keep exploring

Games to practice with

  • Pin the PlanetDrag the pin onto wonders, cities and exact latitude and longitude points.
  • Globe ExplorerSpin a real 3D globe, flip to the flat map, and find continents, oceans and countries.
  • Route PlannerFind the shortest way around town, dodge closed roads, and measure trips with a scale bar.

More 6th grade geography

Guide for grown-ups