New
New
Year 10
Edexcel B
Using atlases
I can read a variety of different styles of atlas maps.
New
New
Year 10
Edexcel B
Using atlases
I can read a variety of different styles of atlas maps.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Atlases present the world at the smallest scale, showing the least detail but larger patterns and relationships.
- Atlases use latitude and longitude lines to locate particular places.
- There are many types of atlas map that are used to show specific information.
Keywords
Latitude - an imaginary line running east to west around the Earth's surface that is used to show how far north or south a place is
Longitude - an imaginary line running north to south across the Earth's surface that is used to show how far east or west a place is
Thematic map - a map that shows a particular geographical phenomenon such as population density or air temperature
Common misconception
Atlases specialise in large scale maps.
A large scale map means the map shows a large amount of detail but covers a small area. Therefore, atlases tend to use small scale maps that show a large area of land in limited detail.
For an immersive experiences, give pairs of students a set of questions, the answers of which can only be found in an atlas, such as the GDP of a particular country or the nearest port to a specific city. Students can then set ever harder questions for their peers.
Teacher tip
Equipment
A standard school atlas
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
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Starter quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
Cartography is the study and practice of …
making and using geographical graphs
using statistics to learn more about places
finding different rocks and soils
Q2.
The scale of a map refers to …
how accurately it has been drawn
the size of a grid square
the distance in real life between one edge of the map to the other
Q3.
The following statements refer to the index of a book, such as an atlas. Which are true statements?
The features are written in page number order.
It only contains the page titles.
Q4.
As the Earth is a sphere, it is difficult to draw an accurate, flat map of the world. The graphical transformation of the 3D world onto a 2D map is known as a map ...
Q5.
Which of the following would you expect to find in an atlas?
Maps of streets in towns and cities
Maps of footpaths through woodland
Q6.
A town’s situation refers to its …
culture, identity and history.
economic strength and power.
past, present and future land use.
Exit quiz
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4 Questions
Q1.
A small scale map …
is zoomed in.
covers a small area of the Earth's surface.
Q2.
The latitudinal and longitudinal position of a place is written down in a specific way. Which of the following is not true?
The symbol ˚ is used to show degrees.
More accurate descriptions use degrees and minutes.
The last part of a latitude or longitude is a compass direction.
Q3.
The Tropic of Cancer lies 23.4˚ of the Equator.
Q4.
What type of map displays data on a particular topic such as population density or average rainfall?
Physical
Geological
Political