SS.AS1.10.01 Map Skills – master the identification of types of maps, parts of maps and map usage through maps of North America and the world during this time period
What is it? In order to locate places on our planet, we need to name its largest features. Water covers nearly three-fourths of Earth’s surface. The largest bodies of water are oceans. The large land areas that cover the rest of the earth are the continents.
How to do it. Find the oceans on the map below. This is really just one big body of water, but geographers usually divide it into four oceans. They are the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Arctic oceans.
Now find the continents. Geographers identify seven continents. From largest to smallest, they are Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe and Australia. Europe and Asia are actually parts of one huge landmass that is sometimes called Eurasia. But geographers usually think of Europe and Asia as two continents because they have different cultures and histories.
