New
New
Year 7
Different map projections
I can describe how different map projections show the world.
New
New
Year 7
Different map projections
I can describe how different map projections show the world.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- The representation of Earth on a globe shows landmasses in the correct shape and relative size.
- World maps project the spherical world (three dimensions) on to a flat surface (two dimensions).
- Some projections distort shape, others distort latitude and/or longitude.
Keywords
Map projection - the representation of an approximately spherical world as a flat map, necessarily involving distortion
Two-dimensional - something that is flat - its dimensions are height (top to bottom) and width (side to side)
Three-dimensional - something that is solid - its dimensions are height (top to bottom), width (side to side) and depth (front to back)
Topography - the study of the landforms and features of land surfaces
Common misconception
Maps are always accurate.
Maps are never completely accurate.
Bring a globe in and compare country sizes to a two-dimensional map.
Teacher tip
Equipment
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on
Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
Loading...
Starter quiz
Download starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.
What shape is Earth?
a flat circle
a square
Q2.
What is the Equator?
The line that separates Earth’s land and water.
The highest point on Earth.
The line that marks the boundary between different time zones.
Q3.
What is the purpose of latitude and longitude?
to measure time
to predict weather
Q4.
Why do we use maps?
to create art
to tell stories
Q5.
The Tropic of is north of the Equator.
Q6.
The Tropic of __________ is south of the Equator.
Leo
Cancer
Aries
Exit quiz
Download exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.
What is the main purpose of a map projection?
to measure distances accurately
to predict climate change
Q2.
What is a cartographer?
someone who measures the land
someone who reads maps
Q3.
In the Mercator projection, line of latitude and longitude are all ...
curved
reversed
Q4.
Most of the world maps that we see are drawn so that which continent is central?
North America
Africa
Antarctica