A Guide for the Globe Trail
1The Maple Street Public Library set up a Globe Trail for visitors. At each stop, a card gives a clue about Earth's surface. A globe shows Earth as a round model. A flat world map shows the same large features on a sheet of paper.
2Earth has seven continents: North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and Antarctica. It also has five oceans: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, and Arctic Oceans. On the library's map, the Atlantic Ocean lies between the Americas and Europe and Africa. The Indian Ocean lies between Africa, Asia, and Australia.
3A line called the equator circles Earth halfway between the poles. It divides Earth into the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere. The North Pole is at the northern end of the map, and the South Pole is at the southern end. Antarctica surrounds the South Pole. On the library's map, Europe is above the equator, and Australia and Antarctica are completely below it. The Arctic Ocean is near the North Pole.
4Another line, the prime meridian, runs from pole to pole. It helps divide Earth into the Eastern Hemisphere and the Western Hemisphere. For example, a place south of the equator and east of the prime meridian is in the Southern and Eastern Hemispheres. Visitors use several clues together instead of guessing from a place's name.