Reading an Ordnance Survey map
An OS map tells you the shape of land you have never seen — if you can read contours.
Part of your national curriculum
- Geographical skills and fieldwork: Build on knowledge of globes, maps and atlases and apply and develop this knowledge routinely in the classroom and in the field
- Geographical skills and fieldwork: Interpret Ordnance Survey maps, including using grid references, scale, topographical and other thematic mapping, and aerial and satellite photographs
Lesson overview
What you'll learn in this lesson
Interpret Ordnance Survey maps, including using grid references, scale, topographical and other thematic mapping, and aerial and satellite photographs
Key learning points
- • Grid references
- • Scale and distance
- • Contours
This lesson at a glance
- 25 minutes
- 16 parts to scroll through
- 3 quick checks
- Marked quiz at the end
- Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses
Words to know
Scroll down — the lesson carries on below
Watch & discover
Part 1 of 16
Visual introductionPicture this
Reading an Ordnance Survey map
An OS map tells you the shape of land you have never seen — if you can read contours.
In a nutshell
Interpret Ordnance Survey maps, including using grid references, scale, topographical and other thematic mapping, and aerial and satellite photographs
Learning cycle
Part 2 of 16
Learning cycle 1 of 2
Part 1 · Grid references
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 3 of 16
Learn
Grid references
Read along the corridor, then up the stairs. Four figures give a 1 km square; six figures divide it into tenths and locate a feature to 100 m.
Reset break
Part 4 of 16
Pause
That's sitting 1 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Explore the idea
Part 5 of 16
Learn
Scale and distance
On a 1:25 000 map, 4 cm represents 1 km. Measure winding routes with a piece of string, then straighten it against the scale bar.
Quick check
Part 6 of 16
Quick check
Part 7 of 16
Reset break
Part 8 of 16
Pause
That's sitting 2 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Learning cycle
Part 9 of 16
Learning cycle 2 of 2
Part 2 · Contours
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 10 of 16
Learn
Contours
Contours join points of equal height. Close together means steep; far apart means gentle. Concentric rings mark a hill; V-shapes pointing uphill mark a valley with a stream.
Quick check
Part 11 of 16
Reset break
Part 12 of 16
Pause
That's sitting 3 of 4 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Challenge round
Part 13 of 16
Game · Sort it
Which of these are true?
Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.
True
Not true
Challenge round
Part 14 of 16
Game · Recall cards
How do you read a grid reference?
Card 1 of 4
Mastery quiz
Part 15 of 16
Marked quiz
End of lesson quiz: Reading an Ordnance Survey map
4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.
1. How do you read a grid reference?
2. On a 1:25 000 map, 1 km is…
3. Contours very close together show…
4. Which grid reference format pinpoints a feature to about 100 m?
Lesson round-up
Part 16 of 16
Lesson round-up
Ready when you are
Quiz score
Not sat
Games
Not played
Points this lesson
0
Best run
0 in a row
Luna: 0 out of 3 on the practice checks. Only if you feel up to it — one more?
Ask LunaPart 1 of 16 · Watch & discover
How this is going
- Not looked at yet
Build on knowledge of globes, maps and atlases and apply and develop this knowledge routinely in the classroom and in the field
- Not looked at yet
Interpret Ordnance Survey maps, including using grid references, scale, topographical and other thematic mapping, and aerial and satellite photographs