The document provides instructions for a lab activity where students will use an Earth Science Reference Table to locate places in New York State using latitude and longitude. Students are asked to draw latitude and longitude lines on a map of New York and answer questions to locate cities, lakes, and other features based on their coordinates. The purpose is to gain practice using the reference table and becoming more familiar with latitude and longitude.

1. Lab: Locations in New York
Name___________________________________ Period____ Date: __________
Purpose:
1. To gain practice in the use of the Earth Science Reference Tables (ESRT)
2. To become more familiar with latitude and longitude.
Materials: ESRT, Straight edge and colored pencils
Procedure: Use the page from the reference tables called “Generalized Bedrock Geology of New
York State to answer the following questions.
• Remember that latitude lines are lines parallel to the Equator and run across the page and
that longitude lines go from pole to pole and run up and down the page.
• On the map the latitude numbers are on the SIDES of the map and the longitude numbers
are those on the TOP and BOTTOM of the map.
• Latitudes in the U.S. always have the letter N after them because they are North of the
Equator (even if they are in the SOUTHERN part of the U.S.).
• Longitudes in the U.S. always have the letter W after them because they are WEST of
England (even if they are in the Eastern part of the U.S. like in NY).
• Using RED pencil, lightly draw latitude lines across the map of NY State. Draw a line for
latitudes of 41o, 42o, 43o, and 44o N. Connect the “tick” marks where the numbers are on the
sides of the map.
• Using an ORANGE pencil, connect the “tick” marks that are halfway between each of the
lines that you just drew. These lines will represent points that are 41o 30’, 42o 30’, 43o 30’
and 44o 30’N.
• Lightly draw longitude lines in GREEN from top to bottom of the map. Connect the lines of
73o, 74o, 75o, 76o, 77o, 78o, 79o W.
• Lightly color BLUE longitudes of 73o 30’, 74o 30’, 75o 30’ 76o 30’, 77o 30’, 78o 30’, and 79o 30’
W.

2. Observations: Answer the following questions
1. The two sets of lines that you drew create a series of rectangles called a _____________.
2. What is the latitude of Slide Mountain? (to the nearest degree). ________________
3. What is the longitude of Watertown? (to the nearest degree). __________________
4. What is the latitude of the border between NY and the Canadian province of Ontario where
the land is NOT covered by water? ______________________________
5. What is the latitude and longitude of the south shore of Long Island near the Star marked
on the map? ______________________________________________________
6. What is the latitude in the middle of Lake Ontario? (to the nearest 30 minutes).
_________
7. What is the longitude of Jamestown? ___________________
8. What is the longitude of NYC? ________________________
9. What is the longitude of the next line that would appear to the west of New York State?
_________________________________________
Conclusions:
1. What is the closest city to 43oN, 75oW? ______________________________
2. What is the closest city to 43oN, 76oW? _______________________________
3. What lake is located at 44o 30’N, 73o 30’W? ____________________________
4. What famous feature is located at 44o N, 74o W? _________________________
5. What goes on at 42o 40’N and 73o40’ W that affects our lives? ___________________