Natural, Human-Made, and Political

Sort map features: rivers and mountains; roads and buildings; borders and capitals.

Warm-up, learn, try it together, practice, then a quick check. About 15 minutes.

What children learn in Level 6

Maps show different kinds of features. Natural features are made by nature: rivers, mountains, lakes, and forests.
Cultural features are made by people: roads, bridges, buildings, and railroads.
Political features are lines and places people decide on, like the border between two states, or a capital city.
On this map, the blue line is a river: natural. The gray line is a road: cultural.

Georgia Standards of Excellence in Social Studies:

MGS.4 — Map and Globe Skill 4: compare and contrast the categories of natural, cultural, and political features found on maps (introduced in Grade 2)