Social Studies Vocabulary Terms Week 1

1. geography- The study of our physical and cultural surroundings.

2. globe- The most accurate map of the Earth.

3. latitude- Lines that circle the Earth from East to West

4. longitude- Lines that run from the North Pole to the South Pole.

5. physical features- Specific landforms and bodies of water in a particular place. For example, the Mississippi River and the Great Plains are physical features of the United States.

6. compass- An instrument (tool) for finding directions.

7. geographic terms- Terms that describe bodies of water, such as bays, and landforms, such as islands.

8. hemisphere- Half-spheres that divide the Earth in half. Known as the Southern, Northern, Eastern, and Western hemispheres.

9. cardinal points- The four main points on the compass rose (North, East, South, and West).

10. intermediate points- Points in between in the cardinal points (Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast).

11. equator -An imaginary line that circles Earth halfway between the North and South Poles.

12. prime meridian- An imaginary line that cuts Earth in half from the North Pole to the South Pole.