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Mapping Our World

How is a flat map more useful than a globe? How is a globe more useful than a flat map? What happens to the shapes of the land masses when the globe is flattened into this map? Is there more land on the surface of our world, or more water? Were any features missed out or chopped off when the globe became a map?

Name three of the features you would expect to be able to see on the Earth even from quite far away. Name some things that would not be seen from space. Why would they not be seen? If you were looking at a globe or a map - even a very large scale, close-up map - why would you not find people, animals and cars marked on it? What surprised you most about the globe on the view from space? Was there something you expected to see but couldn't? If you were an alien, what would you say about planet Earth when you returned to planet Famox?

Which map or maps did you find most difficult to use? Why do you think this was the case? Which country or countries did you have most difficulty locating? Why do you think this was? Did you find it easier to find countries that we generally regard as 'richer' than countries we generally regard as 'poorer'?

Spotlight on the Continents [|www.myon.com]