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International Baccalaureate · PYP 3

Grids, Maps and Compass Directions

⌚ ~66 min ▢ 6 blocks ✓ 25 exercises ➣ Prerequisites : Maps, Grids and Directions
I Following a Longer Journey
Definition — Four Movements
These words tell us what the car does: two of them move it, two of them turn it on the spot.
  • The car moves forward. It goes straight ahead.
    Figure
  • The car moves backward. It goes back.
    Figure
  • The car turns right. It changes direction towards its own right: the right of the one driving it.
    Figure \(\quad\) Figure
  • The car turns left. It changes direction towards its own left: the left of the one driving it.
    Figure \(\quad\) Figure
Skills to practice
  • Driving and Turning: Longer Journeys
II The Compass Rose
Definition — Cardinal Directions
Maps often show a compass rose. It gives the four cardinal directions: North (where the N of the compass rose points: on most maps, up), South (down), East (right) and West (left).
Figure
Skills to practice
  • Using Cardinal Directions on a Map
III The Nodes of the Grid
Definition — Grid Node
The lines of a grid cross at points called nodes. To name a node, we number the vertical lines and the horizontal lines, starting from \(0\). The node \((3,2)\) is the crossing of vertical line \(3\) and horizontal line \(2\).
Figure
Example
On this grid, the point \(A\) is at the node \((1,4)\): vertical line \(1\), horizontal line \(4\). The point \(B\) is at the node \((4,1)\): vertical line \(4\), horizontal line \(1\).
Figure
A cell name like C2 points at a whole square. A node name like \((3,2)\) points at one exact point. Naming exact points is more precise — it is the idea behind the coordinate plane.
Figure
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Skills to practice
  • Naming a Node
  • Drawing on the Grid
IV Going further
Skills to practice
  • Squares, Ships and Journeys
  • Problems
  • Quiz