Fin and Snoot use the grid references on a map to explore an island.
NARRATOR: Hello Finn, hello Snoot. You’re on a hike I see. Is something the matter?
ALIENS: (Alien language)
NARRATOR: Oh no you’re lost! Wait a minute, that looks like a location marker. But what does it mean?
ALIEN: A(Alien language)
NARRATOR: Great idea Snoot, let’s check out the map.
Now then, the squares along the bottom of the map have got letters next to them. And the squares along the side of the map, have got numbers next to them.
The marker said C3, to find out where that is, just count three squares along the bottom of the map.
A, B, C, and then imagine highlighting the whole C column. Then count three squares up the side of the map.
1, 2, 3, and imagine highlighting the whole row marked three.
Where the letter column and number row meet, is square C3, which is where you’re standing.
That’s called a grid reference.
ALIENS: Ah ha!
NARRATOR: Now, where do you want to go next?
ALIEN: (Alien language)
NARRATOR: Okay Snoot, you want to visit the crystal caverns at grid reference A1.
ALIEN: (Alien language)
NARRATOR: And Finn, you want to see the anti-gravity gardens at grid reference D2.
It looks like the gardens are closer than the caverns, so why not start there?
Wow! These anti-gravity gardens are cool!
ALIEN: (Alien language)
NARRATOR: I know Snoot, you’re impatient to see the crystal caverns. There’s just one problem.
How are you going to get there?
What is a grid reference?
A grid reference tells you where something is on a map.
There are two parts to a grid reference:
- The 1st letter or number tells you how far across the map something is.
- The 2nd letter or number tells you how far up the map something is.
Example
How do you find grid reference D2?
Here's one way to do it:
- First go across the way until you get to D.
- Then go up the way until you get to 2.
Here's another way:
- Go along the bottom with your finger until you get to D.
- Go up the side with your other finger until you get to 2.
- Move one finger across and one finger up until they meet.
Both ways have found D2.
More on Shapes and movement
Find out more by working through a topic
- count7 of 8
- count8 of 8
- count1 of 8
