Thematic Maps and GIS · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Thematic Maps and GIS

Geography · Maps & Globes · ages 11-14
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. You want to show which countries export the most wheat to which other countries. Which map type fits best?

    • Dot map
    • Flow map
    • Choropleth map

  2. On a population-density choropleth map, the darkest-colored region usually shows what?

    • The most crowded region
    • The least crowded region
    • A region with no data

  3. In a GIS tool, stacking a rainfall layer and a farmland layer on top of each other can help you spot a pattern.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. This bar chart shows rainfall in four regions. If you turned it into a choropleth map, which region would get the darkest color for 'most rain'?

    North20South80East45West30
    • North
    • South
    • East

  5. A scientist wants to mark the exact location of every earthquake from last year. Which map type fits best?

    • Dot map
    • Choropleth map
    • Flow map

  6. This dot map shows earthquake locations for one week. Count the dots to find how many earthquakes happened.

    Answer: ______________

  7. Ravi looks at two choropleth maps of the same country, one for population and one for rainfall, both using the same light-to-dark color scale. He says the darkest region must be the same place on both maps. Is he right?

    • Yes, because dark always means the same place on every map
    • Yes, because population and rainfall are always high in the same places
    • No, because each map shades a different kind of information

  8. A student overlays a rainfall layer and a farmland layer in a GIS tool and sees farms cluster where rainfall is highest. What should the student do next?

    • Conclude rainfall causes farming everywhere in the world
    • Ask why that pattern shows up in this specific area
    • Delete the layers since the pattern is obvious
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Thematic Maps and GIS W1-mt_khsAUcwLke-s1

  1. Flow map · Flow maps use arrows between places to show movement, like wheat exports from one country to another.
  2. The most crowded region · Darker shading on a density map usually means a higher value, so the darkest region is the most crowded.
  3. True · Overlaying layers lets you compare two kinds of information in the same place, which helps you see patterns and ask why.
  4. South · South has the highest rainfall value, so it would get the darkest color on a rainfall choropleth map.
  5. Dot map · Dot maps mark exact locations of separate events, like earthquakes, instead of shading whole regions.
  6. 9 · Each dot marks one earthquake. Counting them one by one gives 9 total.
  7. No, because each map shades a different kind of information · Each choropleth map shows its own data, so the darkest spot for population and for rainfall can be completely different places.
  8. Ask why that pattern shows up in this specific area · Spotting a pattern is just the start. GIS work means asking why it happens before making big conclusions.
Worksheet · LightMySky