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Using a baseplate compass with an orienteering map

Compass Basics — Activity

Use a compass to go in the correct direction

Time	20-30 minutes
Space	Gym, schoolyard, or local park
Materials	Compasses (1 per student or pair), Maps of the area
Vocabulary	Direction, Magnetic north

"Using a compass correctly is important when orienteering"

Compass Basics introduces students to using a compass for orienteering. Students learn that the compass needle always points to magnetic north, practice identifying cardinal directions, and use the compass to orient their map. The activity progresses from finding directions to setting the map to taking bearings from a course on the map.

Learning Goals

Learning Goals

Students completing this activity will be able to:

• Develop directional awareness using a compass
• Work out which direction something is from you

How to Run It

How to Run It

Setup

1. No physical setup is needed. Have compasses and maps ready to hand out.

Steps

1. Direction. Discuss how a compass always points to magnetic north. Teach a silly acronym for the cardinal directions. Ask students to point in various directions by using their compass (e.g. north, west, southeast).

2. Map setting. Give out maps and demonstrate how to orient the map using the north lines. Turn the students various ways and get them to orient the map to north.

3. Bearings. Ask the students to pretend they are standing at the start triangle and to take a bearing as if they are going to checkpoint 1. Ask them to point in the direction of travel. Check each student is pointing the correct way. Repeat for each checkpoint.

Tips

• Introduce the concept of a safety bearing before participants head out on any course with a compass. A safety bearing is a simple direction they can follow if they get badly lost. For example: "If you are ever completely lost, walk south until you reach the road, then follow the road back to camp." Knowing there is a reliable bail-out builds confidence.
• In orienteering, the compass is primarily used to orient the map, not to take precise degree bearings. Emphasize map-setting over angle-taking for beginners.

Vocabulary

Vocabulary

Direction: A compass direction such as north, south, east, west, or any combination (northeast, southwest, etc.).

Magnetic north: The direction the compass needle points. The north lines on an orienteering map are aligned to magnetic north.

See the Glossary for all curriculum terms.