Maps and Map Keys — Answer Key
Part A: Sort the Words
Sort each word or number into the correct category box.
1. Read each item. Sort it into the correct group: symbol you might see on a map or something you would not see on a map.
Map Symbol
star for capitalblue line for riverdotted trail Not a Map Symbol
bicycleteddy bearsandwich Stars, blue lines, and dotted lines are all small drawings used to show real places on a map. Bicycles, teddy bears, and sandwiches are real objects you hold, not drawings used to label places.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. A map legend is another name for a map key.
'Legend' and 'key' are two different words for the same box on a map that tells you what each symbol stands for.
2. A dotted line on a map often shows a walking trail.
Dotted lines are drawn as small dots instead of solid lines because walking trails are narrow dirt paths, not wide paved roads.
3. Brown shading on a map can stand for mountains.
Mapmakers often pick brown because it looks like rocky soil and cliffs, so brown shading usually points out mountain areas.
4. A map title tells you the name of the map.
Just like a book, a map has a title printed at the top that names what place the map is showing.
5. Red or yellow lines on a map usually show roads.
Bright red and yellow stand out clearly, so mapmakers use those colors for roads and highways to help drivers spot them fast.
Part C: True or False?
Read each statement. Circle True or False.
1. A map legend tells you what the symbols on a map mean.
True False
A legend is the little box on the map that pairs each symbol with the real place it stands for, so it explains the map's pictures.
2. A blue triangle on a map always means a school.
True False
Different maps pick different symbols. A blue triangle might mean a tent, a mountain, or a school, so you always have to check that map's own key.
3. Different maps can use different symbols for the same place.
True False
There is no single rule that makes every map look alike. One map might use a tree for a park, while another uses a green square, so symbols can change.
4. You do not need a map key to understand a map.
True False
Without the map key, the little symbols are just shapes. You need the key to learn what each symbol means before you can really read the map.