Latitude and longitude
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can use latitude and longitude to locate places around the world.
Key learning points
- Lines of latitude are horizontal circles on Earth, measured in degrees north or south of the Equator.
- Lines of longitude are vertical circles on Earth, measured in degrees east or west of the Greenwich Meridian.
- We can use coordinates to locate places around the world.
- GPS uses coordinates in communication and transport systems to help society function.
Keywords
Hemisphere - one half of Earth, usually divided into the Northern or Southern Hemisphere by the Equator, or Eastern and Western Hemispheres by a line that runs through the Poles.
Prime Meridian - the line of longitude at 0 degrees, from which the other lines of longitude are measured east and west.
Equator - an imaginary line encircling Earth at 0° latitude and is an equal distance from the North Pole and the South Pole.
Common misconception
Latitude lines run vertically down the Earth.
Latitude lines run horizontally while longitude lines run vertically.
Teacher tip
Use a globe to show the major lines of latitude and longitude.
Equipment
Atlases and globes can be used in the lesson.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What three dimensional shape is the Earth?
Q2.Each half of the Earth is called a ...
Q3.Put these letters in the correct order to find the name for the line of latitude that runs around the centre of the Earth at an equal distance from the North and South Poles.
Q4.Which of these places are all located in the Northern Hemisphere?
Q5.Which city in the UK does the Prime Meridian run through?
Q6.Which of these are online maps?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.How many hemispheres are there?
Q2.Which city does the Greenwich Prime Meridian run through?
Q3.Which of these is not a line of latitude?
Q4.To find the coordinates of a location, we give ...
Q5.What does GPS stand for?
Q6.Which line of latitude splits the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres?
To help you plan your 7 geography lesson on: Latitude and longitude, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 7 geography lesson on: Latitude and longitude, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
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