Introduction and Lessons
A map is a picture of a place. Different maps show different information. No one map can show everything. Below are some different maps of Salt Lake City. Each shows a different thing. How can you tell what each map shows? Look at the legend. The legend is the key to unlocking the secrets of maps.
Several activities are presented to assist in teaching the concepts of reading maps. Please consult Teacher's Guide, which explains how the activities are related to locations, places, relationships, movement, and regions. From there, you can check out the following activities:
Lesson 1: Introduction to Maps
Lesson 2: Some Things You Need to Know to Read a Map
Lesson 3: What You Can Learn From a Map
Lesson 4: How to Read a Topographic Map
Posters
Click on the images below to see the full view.
Photo of Salt Lake City, Utah
Here is a picture of Salt Lake City. It's a city by a lake with mountains, and some snow. Salt Lake City is the capitol of Utah. You can see the domed State capitol building in the picture.
Shaded Relief Map of Salt Lake City Region
You could use this map to find the locations of the cities and towns. But most important, it shows the shape of the land—mountains, valleys, rivers, and lakes. Shaded relief maps show how a particular area looks with sunlight shining on it from a particular direction. This map shows part of the Great Salt Lake—a huge inland body of water. Using the legend for this map, you can also find out which towns are the largest and which towns are the smallest.
Road Map of Salt Lake City Region
Road maps show people how they can travel from one place to another. They also show some physical features, such as mountains and rivers, and political features, such as cities and towns. A road map can also show you which are the main highways and which are small country roads.
Topographic Map of Salt Lake City Region
This topographic map shows a small area of Salt Lake City and the nearby mountains. Topographic maps use contour lines to show elevation (height above sea level). Contour lines join points of equal elevation above a specified reference, such as sea level. Think of a contour line as an imaginary line on the ground that takes any path necessary to maintain constant elevation. Using the legend for this map, you can locate school, churches, and railroads. People frequently use topographic maps when hiking. Builders use topographic maps to figure out where to put buildings and roads. There's a topographic map like this for every part of the United States, including one for where you live.
Digital Elevation Model of Salt Lake City Region
Sugar House Quadrangle, Utah. Three-dimensional drawing, created by USGS from computerized data.
