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Children running across a park field carrying maps at the start of a Score-O
Mass start: everyone heads out at once, each with their own route plan

Score-O — Activity

Visit as many checkpoints as possible in any order

Time15-30 minutes
SpaceSchoolyard or local park with an orienteering map
MaterialsOrienteering maps with checkpoint circles marked, Checkpoint markers (cones or flags) with letter codes, All-checkpoints map, Scorecards and pencils
VocabularyRoute choice, Score-O, Feature, Scorecard, Mass start

"You get to choose where to go and in what order"

Students receive a map showing checkpoint locations. They visit as many as they can within a time limit, in any order they choose. At each checkpoint, they record the letter code on their scorecard. This is the first activity where students have full autonomy over route choice. Score-O is a bridge between structured courses (where checkpoints are visited in order) and real orienteering, where navigators plan their own routes through the terrain. At camps, this activity goes by the name Map Treasure Hunt.

How to Run It

Setup​

  1. Design course: choose checkpoint locations at distinct features visible both on the map and in terrain. Place Start triangle and Finish double circle on the map.
  2. Print course maps
  3. Place checkpoint markers at locations shown on the all-checkpoints map; each should have a visible letter or animal code.

Steps​

1. Review the boundary. Gather students with their maps. Describe the boundary of the course area verbally. Have students orient their maps and identify the boundary on the map.

2. Map warm-up. Teacher describes a checkpoint location (e.g., "near the big tree by the fence"). Students orient their maps and point to the feature. Students raise their hand if it is a circle on their map. Repeat for several checkpoints. This builds the connection between the verbal description and the map before students head out.

3. Strategy discussion. Before starting:

  • Ask: "If you want to visit the most checkpoints, what would your plan be?"
  • Discuss: start with nearby ones? Group clusters? Save far ones for last?
  • Emphasize that there is no single best strategy
  • It's okay to build in a brief planning period before the start where teams can look at the map but may not yet leave the starting area.

4. Hand out scorecards. Give each pair or individual a scorecard and pencil.

5. Go! Mass start (everyone begins at the same time). Set a time limit (8-12 minutes for beginners):

  • Students go individually or in pairs
  • At each checkpoint, record the letter code on the scorecard
  • Checkpoints do not have to be visited in order
  • Return to the start/finish before time runs out

6. Scoring. Count correct codes. Only checkpoints with the right letter code count. The winner is whoever finds the most checkpoints. Ties are broken by whoever finished fastest.

Adaptations​

Ways to adapt the activity to meet the needs of your students: slow things down, increase the challenge, or adapt for different learners

Who does the setup?​

You can choose how much of the setup students do themselves. The more they do, the more map reading they practice, because each step forces them to connect the map to the terrain. Start as early in the list as your group can handle. Even younger students benefit from choosing their own checkpoint locations.

  1. Students choose locations (most student ownership, recommended for experienced students or 6+). Working from a poster-sized map (with a plastic cover so circles can be erased), students choose where to place 10 checkpoints, then do steps 2 and 3.
  2. Students place markers. The teacher marks checkpoint locations on the all-checkpoints map in advance. In groups, students take the markers out and place them at those locations, then do step 3.
  3. Students copy the map. The teacher places the markers. Students copy the checkpoint circles from the all-checkpoints map onto their own maps.
  4. Teacher prepares everything, including printed maps. Students just navigate.

Difficulty​

  • First time: pairs, short time limit (8 minutes), fewer checkpoints
  • Experienced: individual, longer time limit, more checkpoints spread further apart
  • Advanced: assign different point values to harder-to-find checkpoints (further away or harder to navigate to)
  • Competitive: compare scores; fastest time as tiebreaker

More ways to play​

  • Second round: do a second round with the same map to see if scores improve
  • Design for a partner: have students design their own Score-O course for classmates to run
  • Navigate by memory: leave the map at the start and return to check it as needed
  • Pairs races: one team finds odds, the other finds evens
  • Late penalty: dock points for finishing after the time limit (see Tips for options)
  • Poker-O: collect the best poker hand at checkpoints (see Related Activities tab)
  • Poison-O: some checkpoints are poison and cost points (see Related Activities tab)
  • Vampire-O: vampire teams chase and tag others (see Related Activities tab)

Tips​

  • Keep the first Score-O short (8 minutes). Students can always do a second round
  • Remind students to orient their map before leaving the start
  • Late penalties discourage students from ignoring the time limit. Options: lose 1 point per minute late, or use a doubling penalty (1 point for 1 minute late, 2 for 2 minutes, 4 for 3 minutes, etc.) when you need teams back on a tight schedule
  • Place a few "easy" checkpoints near the start so every student finds at least one
  • Watch for students who run without reading their map. Redirect them to stop and orient