Grade 7 Social Studies: Make a Map Project

What It Is: For this project you are going to be a cartographer and make a
desktop map of an imaginary province. Read the directions carefully and
follow them STEP BY STEP. Making a map requires a lot of time and skill. Do
the work neatly and accurately!!!!!
Part One: Making a Grid, Compass Rose, and Scale
Hint: Do Part One VERY Carefully. The rest of the project relies heavily on
this part of the map.
A. Draw a grid on your map sheet (white poster paper) following these
steps carefully:
Use a ruler to draw STRAIGHT lines running horizontally and
vertically on your sheet of paper. The lines will be 5 cm apart.
Begin measuring at the bottom LEFT corner of the paper. Make
enough squares to draw ELEVEN (11) boxes across the
bottom. Draw NINE (9) boxes vertically along the side 5 cm
apart.
The columns running vertically should be numbered 1-10
across the top of the map starting from the left and going
right, leaving one blank, un-numbered box in the top left
corner.
The rows running horizontally should be lettered A-H along
the left side of the map starting from the top, but leaving one
blank, un-lettered box in the top left corner.
B. Make a compass rose of your own design on the map. Draw the
compass rose in the F2 position. The compass rose should show N, S,
E, W as well as NW, NE, SW, SE.
C. Draw a scale on your map. Draw a linear scale 10 cm long in boxes
H8, H9, and H10. Divide the scale into 10 equal parts (1 cm each).
Each cm will equal 20 km.
Ex.
D. A map should have a title. Use your imagination (but keep it
appropriate and original). Place your title of the top of your map.
The Province of __________________________________________

Part Two: Placing Cities on Your Map

A. There are 9 cities listed below, labelled A I. Follow the directions to
position these cities on your map. Make sure a dot and letter of
each city are easily visible! Note: NOT in Sharpie, as the
letters will be erased later
Place
Place
Place
Place
Place
Place
Place
Place
Place

city
city
city
city
city
city
city
city
city

A in the middle of F5.

B in the NE corner of C2.
C 200 km south of city B.
D 120 km south of city A.
E 500 km NE of city D in D9.
F in the middle of D4.
G in the middle of B7.
H 260 km east of city B.
I 300 km east of city A.

B. After you have completed placing the cities, erase the letters of
each city and label each location with a creative name of your
choosingBUT each city name must start with the letter you
labelled previously. Print the names clearly beside each dot.

Part Three: Boundary Lines

Follow the following directions very carefully. You may want to lightly
do it in pencil first.
1. Draw an international boundary line dashed (---------) in red 20 km
south of the row marked F. Make sure that city D is south of this
line.
2. Draw a provincial boundary line dotted (..) in black using the
following guidelines:
a. Start at the NE corner of A9.
b. Draw the line to the SW corner of E8.
c. Go straight south to the international boundary line. STOP
here.
d. Check: Cities E and I should be east of the provincial boundary
line.

Part Four: Using Map Symbols

Use the symbols below to create a legend on the bottom left corner
of your map.
Mountain Range
River
Lake
Regular Highway
Super Highway
Gravel Road
Bridge
Park
Campground

Part Five: Landforms and Roads

Follow the directions below very carefully to place landforms,
landmarks and roads onto your map. Hint: Do all rough work in pencil
first!
Draw a mountain range in a North-South direction in location A3,
B3, C3, D3.
Draw a lake in the NW corner of the map, NW of city B in B1.
Name your lake. Locate a park north of this lake.
Draw a large lake in the North. It must stretch in the north from the
NW corner of A5 to the NE corner of A8. The south part of the
lake must touch city G. Name your lake. Note: The shape of this
lake may change after completing 5b.
Draw a lake in F9 and F10 east of city I. Locate a campground on
the south shore of the lake. Name your lake.
Draw rivers on your map:
o From mountains in A3 to the lake in B1.
o From the mountains in the southern part of C3 to just south
of city H, then NE into the parts of the lake running through the
NE corner of B5.
o From the eastern edge of D10 SW into the part of the lake
found in the NW corner of F10.
Draw super highways (in red) on your map. Some may need
BRIDGES to pass over water. Connect:
o City A to C
o City A to D
o City A to F
o City A to G
o City A to I
Draw regular highways (in green) on your map. Some may need
BRIDGES to pass over water. Connect:
o City B to C
o City B to H
o City C to F
o City D to I
o City E to G

o City E to I
Draw gravel roads (in brown) on your map. Some may need
BRIDGES to pass over water. Connect:
o City F to H
o City G to H
o City G to I
Locate an airport near one of your major cities. Note: Make sure it
isnt on a road, lake, park, campground, mountain range, etc.

Name: ____________________________
Map Project Checklist
Think youre done? Go through the following checklist before you
hand it in!
_________ Map is neatly coloured using mostly pencil crayon and some
marker to highlight important points.
_________ Names and labels are accurately spelled and displayed
correctly.
_________ All labels use correct lettering and are straight (lower case,
upper case, capitals, etc.).
_________ All labelling is done with pen/marker and is clearly visible.
_________ There is an original and creative looking compass rose on the
map.
_________ There is a name for the province on the top left corner of the
map that is neat, original and creative.
_________ Cities have been labelled with interesting and creative
names.
_________ All landforms, landmarks, and roads have been clearly
indicated.
_________ An airport has been located in the most logical location.
_________ Attach this checklist to the back of your map project and
hand in!