Finding Our Way: Learning Map Skills


Maps are tools that help us see where things are located. They show us the world from high above. People use maps to find their way to new places. Maps can show a whole town or just one room. We use map skills to talk about where people and places are. This helps us understand the world around us better.
One way to talk about a place is by using relative location. Relative location tells us where something is by comparing it to something else. For example, you might say your school is next to the library. Or you might say the park is across the street from your house. You use words like near, far, behind, and in front of to describe where things are. This helps people understand where to look by using things they already know.
- Symbol:
- A small picture that stands for something else on a map.
- Compass rose:
- A tool on a map that shows directions like north, south, east, and west.
- Map key:
- A box on a map that explains what the symbols mean.
- Absolute location:
- The exact spot where something is located, like an address.
- Environment:
- The kind of land and water found in a specific place.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1What do maps help us do?
- 2What is relative location?
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About this informational passage for 2nd Grade
āFinding Our Way: Learning Map Skillsā is a informational reading passage about Map Skills, written for 2nd Grade. It takes about 5 minutes to read (735 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.


