- Identify the state boundaries shown on the map: Iowa is bordered by Minnesota to the north, Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the east, Missouri to the south, and Nebraska and South Dakota to the west.
- Locate the major cities within Iowa using the map’s legend and city markers. Examples include Des Moines (capital), Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Sioux City, and Iowa City.
- Trace the major highways: Interstate 80 runs east-west across the southern part of the state; Interstate 35 runs north-south through the center; US Highway 20 crosses the northern part of the state.
- Use the scale bar to estimate distances between cities. For example, the distance between Des Moines and Cedar Rapids is approximately 100 miles.
- Determine the direction between locations using the compass rose. For instance, Dubuque is northeast of Des Moines.
- Note the types of roads indicated in the legend: State Boundary (dashed line), Interstate Highway (yellow with red shield), US Federal (yellow with black number), State Highway (white with black number), and Cities (black dot).
- Confirm that the map was updated on May 18, 2013, as noted in the copyright information.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of printable road map of iowa.
