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 thatlatitude 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. If students are more advanced, include examples in the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Hemispheres. Have students list four ways their hometown is connected to a nearby town or city that they have located on a map. Have students bring in the international section of a daily newspaper and select two cities currently in the news to locate on a map. Assign teams of students to research and to present their findings on ways in which the two cities are connected.