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Geography Quiz - Map Skills 1 (Questions)

Maps are like picture guides to places. In this quiz you will learn how to use symbols, keys, and directions to find your way around.

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(quiz starts below)

Fascinating Fact:

A compass rose on a map shows directions, usually North, South, East, and West.

In KS2 Geography, pupils learn to read different kinds of maps, use simple scales, and follow directions. Map skills help children understand places, journeys, and the wider world.

  • Map: A drawing of an area from above that shows places, features, and routes.
  • Compass: A tool with a needle that points towards North to help you find direction.
  • Map key: A small box that explains what the symbols and colours on a map mean.
What are map skills in KS2 geography?

Map skills in KS2 geography include reading symbols, using a map key, knowing the main compass points, and using maps to find places and plan routes.

How can I get better at reading maps?

You can improve by practising with school atlases, road maps, or online maps, checking the key, tracing routes with your finger, and saying the directions out loud.

Why do we still need maps if we have sat navs?

We still need maps because they work without batteries, show the bigger picture, and help you understand where places are in relation to each other.

1. What is a book of maps called?
[ ] An Atlantic
[ ] An Atlas
[ ] A Dictionary
[ ] An Encyclopaedia
2. What is the name given to the world map printed on a ball?
[ ] Sphere
[ ] Globe
[ ] Orb
[ ] Earth
3. Who makes maps?
[ ] A cartographer
[ ] A mapper
[ ] A photographer
[ ] A map maker
4. What do we use to find the direction we are facing?
[ ] A compact
[ ] A comet
[ ] A telescope
[ ] A compass
5. Which compass point is at the top of a map?
[ ] North
[ ] East
[ ] South
[ ] West
6. Which compass point is at the bottom of a map?
[ ] North
[ ] East
[ ] South
[ ] West
7. Which compass point is to the right of North and South?
[ ] North
[ ] East
[ ] South
[ ] West
8. Which compass point is between North and West?
[ ] East
[ ] South
[ ] North West
[ ] West North
9. What is the name of the numbers used in grid references?
[ ] Coordinates
[ ] Correspondence
[ ] Symbols
[ ] Keys
10. What is a map key?
[ ] It unlocks magic doors
[ ] It shows what map symbols mean
[ ] It locks the cupboard where maps are kept
[ ] It lists all the stopping places on a map

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - What is a map used for?

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Geography Quiz - Map Skills 1 (Answers)
1. What is a book of maps called?
[ ] An Atlantic
[x] An Atlas
[ ] A Dictionary
[ ] An Encyclopaedia
The very first atlas had a picture of the Greek Titan Atlas, holding up the world, on its cover
2. What is the name given to the world map printed on a ball?
[ ] Sphere
[x] Globe
[ ] Orb
[ ] Earth
The world is also referred to as the globe
3. Who makes maps?
[x] A cartographer
[ ] A mapper
[ ] A photographer
[ ] A map maker
The English word 'cartography' comes from the Ancient Greek words for 'map' and 'writing'
4. What do we use to find the direction we are facing?
[ ] A compact
[ ] A comet
[ ] A telescope
[x] A compass
A compass needle always points towards the North Pole
5. Which compass point is at the top of a map?
[x] North
[ ] East
[ ] South
[ ] West
Just as the North Pole is seen as the top of a globe, north is seen as the top of a map
6. Which compass point is at the bottom of a map?
[ ] North
[ ] East
[x] South
[ ] West
Just as the South Pole is seen as the bottom of a globe, south is seen as the bottom of a map
7. Which compass point is to the right of North and South?
[ ] North
[x] East
[ ] South
[ ] West
The sun always rises in the East
8. Which compass point is between North and West?
[ ] East
[ ] South
[x] North West
[ ] West North
The points of the compass can be remembered like this: Never Eat Soggy Worms - that's North, East, South and West starting at the top and going round clockwise
9. What is the name of the numbers used in grid references?
[x] Coordinates
[ ] Correspondence
[ ] Symbols
[ ] Keys
The first coordinate gives the grid reference at the bottom while the second one goes up the side
10. What is a map key?
[ ] It unlocks magic doors
[x] It shows what map symbols mean
[ ] It locks the cupboard where maps are kept
[ ] It lists all the stopping places on a map
Each map has a key and it tells you, for example, what a motorway, a river or a church look like on the map