Maps, Maps, Maps: What can they teach us about the world?

We all know maps help us locate places and help us get from point A to point B. But they can also tell us many things about culture, relationships, global dependence and lifestyle. This activity will give you an opportunity to explore maps that have different purposes and examine what they can tell us about the world and what it means to be a global citizen. After you get a chance to explore these maps online, we will learn about two widely used global map projections: the Mercator and Peters projection maps.

1. Go to my websites World Cultures & Geography page. In the right hand column, find the document entitled Map introduction and open it.

2. Take time to explore the different mapsscroll through and see what kinds of maps are shown on the site.

3. Choose some maps to focus on (5-6). In the T-Chart below, write what the map is showing (be as detailed as possible, dont just copy down the title) and what is significant about this information (what does it tell you about the world? Why would someone make a map like this?)

Describe the map in detail (not just the title): what is the map showing?

What is significant about this information? What does it tell you about the world? What is the purpose for making a map like this?

On your LEFT PAGE:

http://twistedsifter.com/2013/08/maps-that-will-help-you-make-sense-of-the-world/#.UgvZU24ShH8.twitter

1. This map shows the world divided into 7 sections (each with a distinct color) with each section containing 1 billion people.

2. This map shows (in white) where 98 percent of Australia's population lives.

3. It may not come as a surprise but more people live inside the circle than outside of it.

4. This map shows what is on the other side of the world from where you are standing. For the most part it will probably be water.

5. Apparently you can't get Big Macs everywhere. This map shows (in red) the countries that have McDonalds.

6. This map shows the countries (in blue) where people drive on the left side of the road.

7. This map shows countries (in white) that England has never invaded. There are only 22 of them.

8. The line in this map shows all of the world's Internet connections in 1969.

9. This map shows the countries that heavily restricted Internet access in 2013.

10. This map shows (in red) countries that were all Communist at one point in time.

11. This map shows (in red) the countries that don't use the metric system.

12. This map shows (in blue) places where Google street view is available.

13. This map shows (in green) all the landlocked countries of the world.

14. And this is what the world would look like if all the countries with coast lines sank.

15. This is a map of the all the rivers in the United States.

16. And these are all the rivers that feed into the Mississippi River.

17. This is a map of the highest paid public employees in the United States.

18. This map shows how much space the United States would occupy on the moon.

19. This map shows the longest straight line you can sail. It goes from Pakistan all the way to Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia for a total of 20,000 miles.

20. This is a map of 19th century shipping lanes that outlines the continents.

21. This map shows (in navy blue) every country that has ever operated an aircraft carrier.

22. This map highlights the countries (in red and orange) with the most skyscrapers.

23. This map shows (in red, orange, and yellow) the world's largest donors of foreign aid with red being the biggest donor.

24. This map shows the most photographed places in the world.

25. And this map shows all the places where you can get eaten by a Great White shark!

5. McDonalds Across the World

6. Paid Maternal Leave Around the World

Visualizing Global Population Density

The Most Common Surnames in Europe by Country

Map of Alcohol Consumption Around the World

20. Map of Countries with the Most Violations of Bribery

Map byJames Mintz Group

21. World Map of Vegetation on Earth

22. Average Age of First Sexual Intercourse by Country

24. The Number of Researchers per Million InhabitantsAround the World

Map byChartsBin.com

If the Worlds Population Lived in One City

25. Worldwide Map of Oil Import And Export Flows

27. World Map of the Different Writing Systems

Map byMaximilian Drrbecker (Chumwa) on Wikimedia Commons

28. Worldwide Annual Coffee Consumption Per Capita

Map byChartsBin.com

29. The Economic Center of Gravity Since 1 AD

30. The World Divided Into 7 Regions,Each with a Population of 1 Billion

Map bydelugetheory on Reddit

31. Earths Population by Latitude and Longitude

Photograph bymrgeng on Reddit

34. Overall Water Risk Around the World

Map byWorld Resources Institute

35. The Most Dangerous Areas in the WorldTo Ship Due to Pirates

Map byControl Risks

36. Area Codes in Which Ludacris Claims to Have H*es(song reference)

Map viaasonjones on Reddit

37. Where 2% of Australias Population Lives

Map bye8odie on Reddit