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8th grade · Social Studies · Unit 5 of 8

Maps, Graphs & Data

Choropleth maps, scatter graphs and pyramids

What your child practices

Reading map scales and legends, choropleth maps, scatter graphs and correlation (and why correlation does not prove cause), and what population pyramids say about a country's age and growth. The data in the questions are made up for practice.

Maine Learning Results learning standard: Geography 1 · using maps, graphs and data to show change over time

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Use the map scale: multiply the map distance by what 1 cm stands for.
  2. A choropleth map shades areas to show a rate or density, such as people per square kilometer.
  3. On a scatter graph, look for a trend: as one value rises, does the other rise or fall?

Example: On a map, 1 cm represents 25 km. Two cities are 3 cm apart. How far apart are they? Each centimeter is 25 km. 3 × 25 = 75. Answer: 75 km

Maps, Graphs & Data in Maine

In the Maine Learning Results, this is unit 5 of 8 in 8th grade Social Studies, after Reconstruction and before Sources & Evidence.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Maine Department of Education

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    On a map, 1 cm stands for 5 km. What is this called?

    • the title
    • the border
    • the scale
    • the legend

  2. Question 2

    On a map, 1 cm represents 2 km. Two towns are 3 cm apart on the map. How far apart are they in real life, in km?

    answer boxkm

  3. Question 3

    A scatter graph shows the points rising from left to right. What does this show?

    • a negative correlation
    • a mistake
    • a positive correlation: as one value rises, the other tends to rise
    • no data

  4. Question 4

    Which kind of data suits a choropleth map best?

    • the number of people at one house
    • the names of streets
    • the color of cars
    • a rate or density, such as people per square kilometer

  5. Question 5

    The table shows made-up data. What does it suggest about literacy rate and life expectancy?

    Made-up data for five countries
    CountryLiteracy rate (%)Life expectancy (years)
    A9982
    B9276
    C7568
    D5560
    E3854
    • As literacy rate rises, life expectancy tends to rise.
    • There is no pattern.
    • As literacy rate rises, life expectancy tends to fall.
    • Both stay the same.

  6. Question 6

    The graph shows made-up data. Which description fits this population?

    Share of population by age (%)
    0102030405060700–1415–6465+
    • no older people
    • a very young population with a high birth rate
    • an older population with a low birth rate
    • all children

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