3rd Grade Social Studies
The Earth's Grid
Unit 5
Unit 5
Lines that are used to organize the surface of the Earth
These lines are:
Latitude
The Equator is a line of Latitude that perfectly divides Earth in half horizontally (Side to Side)
Longitude
The Prime Meridian is a line of Longitude that divides Earth in half vertically (Up to Down)
Latitude
Think of these lines as flat and horizontal (side to side).
What is Latitude?
Latitude is an angle (defined below) which ranges from 0° at the Equator to 90° (North or South) at the poles. Lines of constant latitude, or parallels, run east–west as circles parallel to the equator. Latitude is used together with longitude to specify the precise location of features on the surface of the Earth.
Remember the line, "Latitude runs sideways but it measures North and South!"
Longitude
Think of these lines as long and vertical (up and down)!
What is Longitude?
Longitude lines are a numerical way to show/measure how far a location is east or west of a universal vertical line called the Prime Meridian. This Prime Meridian line runs vertically, north and south, right over the British Royal Observatory in Greenwich England, from the North Pole to the South Pole.
