Every point on Earth has a specific location that is determined by an imaginary grid of lines denoting latitude and longitude. Parallels of latitude measure distances north and south of the line called the Equator. Meridians of longitude measure distances east and west of the line called the Prime Meridian. Geographers use latitude and longitude to pinpoint a place's absolute, or exact, location. To know the absolute location of a place is only part of the story.
Relative location deals with the interaction that occurs between and among places.
Explain that latitude and longitude lines are like an imaginary grid across the globe and that the coordinates on that grid tell us exactly where something is located. Have students list four ways their hometown is connected to a nearby town or city that they have located on a map. Ask students to imagine that they can pick up their school building, just as if it were a toy block, and relocate it anywhere they choose. Discuss how their school lives would be different if their school were located farther north, south, east, or west. Have students list the advantages and disadvantages of each site.