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An introduction to the shape of our planet and how we look at it using globes and maps.
Imagine you are an astronaut floating high in space. When you look down at our home, do you think you would see a flat pancake or a round, bouncy ball?
Our planet Earth is not flat like a table. It is a sphere. A sphere is a solid, 3D shape that is round just like a basketball or an orange. Because the Earth is so big and we are so small, the ground looks flat to us when we walk outside. But if you traveled far into space, you would see that we live on a giant, beautiful ball!
Quick Check
What is the special name for a 3D shape that is round like a ball?
Answer
A sphere.
Since we can't always go to space to see Earth, we use models. A globe is a small, round model of the Earth. It is a sphere, just like the real planet! A map is different because it is a flat drawing of the Earth. Maps are great because you can fold them up and put them in your backpack, but a globe shows the Earth's true shape.
1. If you want to see exactly how the Earth spins in space, you should pick up a globe. 2. If you want to see a flat picture of your neighborhood to find a park, you should use a map.
Quick Check
Which tool is a flat drawing of the Earth?
Answer
A map.
When you look at a map or a globe, the colors tell a story. Blue is the color used for water. This includes big oceans, rivers, and lakes. Green and brown are the colors used for land. Land is where we build our homes, schools, and parks. Did you know that most of the Earth is covered in water? About of our planet is blue!
Imagine you are looking at a map of an island. 1. Look for the blue area surrounding the land; that is the ocean. 2. Look for the green area in the middle; that is the land where trees grow. 3. If you see a tiny blue line inside the green area, that is a river!
If you had 4 buckets to fill the Earth, you would need: 1. 3 buckets of blue water. 2. Only 1 bucket of green land. This shows that water covers much more of the Earth than land does! In math, we say water is and land is only .
What shape is the Earth?
If you see the color green on a globe, what are you looking at?
A map is a round model of the Earth.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow morning, look at a ball or an orange and try to remember the word 'sphere'. Can you explain to someone why the Earth is like that shape?
Practice Activity
Draw a circle on a piece of paper. Color of it blue and of it green to show how much water and land are on Earth!