Grades 2–5
Landforms and Bodies of Water
Match 8 geography words, from mountain and valley to island, peninsula, lake and river, to their meanings, then draw a landform you have seen.
Social studies worksheet · Maps and cardinal directions
How Far Is It? Using a Map Scale
Measure straight roads with a ruler on a map drawn to scale (1 inch = 10 miles) and work out the real distances between the farm, the town, the lake and the school.
- Grade level
- Grades 3–5
- Time
- About 20 minutes
- Answer key
- Yes, page 2 of the PDF
- Kids practice
- Map skills, Cardinal and intermediate directions, Grids and coordinates, Map keys and scale
What kids do
“A map scale tells you how far things really are. On this map, 1 inch = 10 miles. Measure each road with a ruler, then figure out the miles.”
Printed on the sheet:
- 1. Farm to Town:
- 2. Town to Lake:
- 3. Farm to Zoo:
- 4. Town to Train station:
- 5. Train station to School:
- 6. Zoo to Lake:
Words on this sheet
FarmTownTrain stationZooLakeSchoolmiles
Teacher tip
Make sure each child has a ruler that starts at zero.
How to use it
- Look at a real map of your town or school together first.
- Show a map on the document camera and model one question.
- Keep a classroom globe, a world map and a U.S. map in reach while kids work.
Watch for
Kids who think north means “up” on any page. Turn the map and talk about it.
Talk about it
- Which way is north in our classroom?
- What did you learn that surprised you?
Take it further
Make a class map of the playground with a key.
US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.
More maps and cardinal directions worksheets
Grades 3–5
Hemispheres: Halves of the Earth
A world map with the equator and prime meridian drawn in: name the hemisphere each continent is in and answer questions about the two halves of the Earth.
Grades 1–3
Map or Globe?
12 sentences that compare maps and globes: Which one can fold into a pocket? Which one shows the true shapes of the continents? Answer key included.
Grades 4–5
Latitude and Longitude
Learn how lines of latitude and longitude work (the equator is 0°, the poles are 90°, the prime meridian runs through Greenwich), then answer 8 questions.
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