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Navigate using only the visible map windows

Window-O — Activity

Navigate with parts of the map removed

Time	30-60 minutes
Space	Schoolyard or local park
Materials	Compasses (1 per student or pair), Window-O maps (map with sections removed, leaving "islands" of visible map), Checkpoints
Vocabulary	Bearing, Attack point, Catching feature

"Using a compass correctly is important when orienteering"

In Window-O, much of the map has been removed, leaving only islands of visible map surrounded by blank white space. Students must use their compass to navigate through the blank areas, taking bearings from one visible section to the next. This forces students to rely on compass skills, distance estimation, and attack points rather than continuous map reading. The visible "windows" of map serve as landmarks to navigate between.

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
• Take correct bearings
• Estimate distance when navigating through blank areas
• Identify attack points for approaching checkpoints
• Identify catching features to know when you have gone too far

How to Run It

How to Run It

Setup

1. Place checkpoints according to the all-checkpoints map

Steps

1. Pair up. Have students pair up.

2. Review compass bearings. Review how to take a compass bearing.

3. Visit checkpoints. Visit each checkpoint in order. Compare the code to make sure you are at the correct checkpoint. Help fellow students who are having trouble by giving them hints and teaching them how to read the map.

Vocabulary

Vocabulary

Bearing: A compass direction from where you are to where you want to go.

Attack point: A nearby, easy-to-find feature that you navigate to first, then make a precise final approach to the checkpoint from there.

Catching feature: A large feature beyond your target that tells you you have gone too far.

See the Glossary for all curriculum terms.