Cartographic Skills

Cartographic skills relating to a variety of maps at different scales.

Atlas maps:

• use and understand coordinates – latitude and longitude
• recognise and describe distributions and patterns of both human and physical features
• maps based on global and other scales may be used and students may be asked to identify and describe significant features of the physical and human landscape on them, eg population distribution, population movements, transport networks, settlement layout, relief and drainage
• analyse the inter-relationship between physical and human factors on maps and establish associations between observed patterns on thematic maps.

Ordnance Survey maps:

• use and interpret OS maps at a range of scales, including 1:50 000 and 1:25 000 and other maps appropriate to the topic
• use and understand coordinates – four and six-figure grid references
• use and understand scale, distance and direction – measure straight and curved line distances using a variety of scales
• use and understand gradient, contour and spot height
• numerical and statistical information
• identify basic landscape features and describe their characteristics from map evidence
• identify major relief features on maps and relate cross-sectional drawings to relief features
• draw inferences about the physical and human landscape by interpretation of map evidence, including patterns of relief, drainage, settlement, communication and land-use
• interpret cross sections and transects of physical and human landscapes
• describe the physical features as they are shown on large scale maps of two of the following landscapes – coastlines, fluvial and glacial landscapes
• infer human activity from map evidence, including tourism.

Maps in association with photographs:

• be able to compare maps
• sketch maps: draw, label, understand and interpret
• photographs: use and interpret ground, aerial and satellite photographs
• describe human and physical landscapes (landforms, natural vegetation, land-use and settlement) and geographical phenomena from photographs
• draw sketches from photographs
• label and annotate diagrams, maps, graphs, sketches and photographs.