Transparency 7.

1a

KWL Plus
SKILLS: Activating Prior Knowledge, Categorizing

Category Outline
TOPIC: Maps and Their Uses

Types of • Political maps show features people have

maps created such as cities, states, and political
boundaries.
• Physical maps show features on the surface of
the earth and bodies of water.
• Thematic maps include certain information such
as natural resources, key battles, or Spanish
speakers, about a place or region.

Uses of • Maps help us see different things in a place or

maps region.
• Maps help us see patterns of such things as
climate, vegetation, or locations of cities.
Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Uses of • Maps have changed from simple drawing on a

maps surface to very complex ones.
• Complex maps use satellite technology such as
GPS to create the map.

Summary
There are three basic types of maps: political, physical, and
thematic. Each type of map shows different information. Maps
helps us see the world in different ways. Maps have changed
over the years from very simple to very complex.

Example is from World History: Ancient Civilizations, chapter titled “The Tools of History,” Lesson 2.

wh06rt_trns6-10.indd 21 2/3/05 3:28:07 PM