Materials Index

Equipment and supplies referenced across the curriculum. Click a material name in any activity to see details here. For each item: what it is, where to get it, alternatives, and which activities use it.

Navigation Games Kit

Items marked NG Kit are included in the Navigation Games activity kit, which contains materials for Animal Orienteering, Geometric Orienteering, Basketball Orienteering, and Clothespin Hunt. If your school has a kit, you already have these items.

---

Maps and Navigation Sheets

Basketball court maps NG Kit

Maps of a basketball court showing line markings, used for indoor orienteering. Available in half-court and full-court versions.

Where to get	Print from curriculum templates
Alternatives	Hand-drawn maps of the gym floor
Used in	Basketball-O, Pacman-O, Find the Cone
Learning connection	The basketball court's painted lines serve as built-in landmarks. Students orient maps using the free-throw line, three-point arc, and center circle, just as outdoor orienteers use trails, fences, and buildings.

Clue sheets NG Kit

Printed sheets showing the order to visit checkpoints. In Animal-O, clue sheets show animal pictures. In standard orienteering, they list checkpoint numbers and feature descriptions.

Where to get	Print from curriculum templates
Alternatives	Hand-drawn sheets, laminated reusable sheets with dry-erase markers
Used in	Animal-O, Geometric-O
Learning connection	Clue sheets introduce sequential navigation. Following a fixed order builds the discipline of confirming each checkpoint before moving on.

Geometric-O maps NG Kit

Simple pattern maps showing checkpoint positions relative to colored landmark cones. Available in 5-checkpoint and 10-checkpoint versions.

Where to get	Print from curriculum templates, or draw on index cards
Alternatives	Hand-drawn maps on whiteboards, then photographed and printed
Used in	Geometric-O, Find the Cone
Learning connection	Pattern maps strip away symbol complexity and focus on spatial relationships: "this checkpoint is between the red and blue cones." They are the first maps students use.

All-checkpoints map

A single map showing the correct locations of all checkpoints. The leader uses it during setup and can post it for students to check their work.

Where to get	Create during setup by marking checkpoint locations on a blank map
Alternatives	A photo of the setup, a sketch on a whiteboard
Used in	Geometric-O, Score-O, Map Walk
Learning connection	The all-checkpoints map is the "answer key." It lets the leader verify setup accuracy and gives students a reference for self-checking.

Orienteering maps

Detailed maps showing terrain features using standard orienteering symbols and colors. One per student or pair.

Where to get	Commission from a local orienteering club mapper, or create with OpenOrienteeringMap (free online tool)
Alternatives	Simplified hand-drawn maps for early lessons; aerial photo printouts with features labeled
Used in	Map Walk, Score-O, Point-to-Point
Learning connection	Real orienteering maps are the end goal. Students progress from pattern maps (Geometric-O) to orienteering maps (Map Walk, Score-O). The detailed symbols connect classroom map-reading to real-world navigation.

Checkpoint Supplies

Animal pictures NG Kit

Laminated pictures of animals attached to checkpoint cones. Students match the animal they find to the animal on their clue sheet to confirm they visited the correct checkpoint.

Where to get	Print and laminate from curriculum templates
Alternatives	Stickers on cones, hand-drawn pictures, numbered cards (for older students)
Used in	Animal-O, Explore & Find
Learning connection	Animal pictures make checkpoint confirmation concrete and fun for younger students. The act of checking "is this the right animal?" is the foundation of the orienteering skill of checkpoint confirmation.

Checkpoint markers

Cones, flags, or streamers placed in the field to mark checkpoint locations. Students navigate to these during courses.

Where to get	Sports equipment suppliers, dollar stores (small cones), or DIY with garden stakes and flagging tape
Alternatives	Plastic cups, laminated cards on stakes, chalk marks on pavement
Used in	Animal-O, Geometric-O, Score-O, Map Walk
Learning connection	Checkpoints are the concrete targets students navigate to. Visible, consistent markers reduce confusion and let students focus on navigation rather than searching.

Clothespins NG Kit

Wooden or plastic clothespins used as checkpoint confirmation. Students clip a clothespin from each checkpoint onto their clue sheet or string.

Where to get	Dollar stores, craft supply stores
Alternatives	Hole punches, stamp markers, stickers
Used in	Clothespin Hunt
Learning connection	Clothespins provide a tangible confirmation method. Collecting one at each checkpoint gives students physical proof of their visit.

Colored landmark cones NG Kit

Four distinctly colored cones (red, blue, green, yellow) placed at corners or edges of the play area. They appear on the map and in the real space, giving students anchor points for orienting.

Where to get	Use colored sport cones, or wrap standard cones with colored tape
Alternatives	Colored buckets, painted rocks, colored flags
Used in	Geometric-O, Find the Cone
Learning connection	Landmark cones are the bridge between map and terrain. Students match the colored dots on their map to the colored cones in the field, which teaches map orientation without requiring symbol literacy.

Cones

Plastic sport cones used to mark boundaries, checkpoints, or landmarks. Small (6-inch) cones work for checkpoints. Larger (12-inch) cones work for boundaries and landmarks.

Where to get	PE equipment closet, sports suppliers
Alternatives	Chalk lines, natural landmarks (trees, fence posts), tape on gym floor
Used in	Boundary Run, Gathering, Animal-O, Geometric-O, Basketball-O
Learning connection	Cones define the physical space. Colored cones as landmarks (red, blue, green, yellow) help students orient maps by matching cone colors to map markings.

Flagging tape NG Kit

Brightly colored plastic tape tied to stakes or branches to mark checkpoint locations or boundaries.

Where to get	Hardware stores, forestry supply
Alternatives	Ribbons, surveyor flags, bright fabric strips
Used in	Animal-O, Geometric-O, Score-O
Learning connection	Flagging tape makes checkpoints visible from a distance, helping students confirm they are heading the right direction.

Start/finish markers

Markers placed to indicate the start and finish of a course.

Where to get	Use cones, flags, or tape
Alternatives	Chalk marks, natural features
Used in	Animal-O, Score-O, Point-to-Point
Learning connection	Clear start and finish points help students understand the structure of a course.

Recording Tools

Index cards NG Kit

Blank cards used for drawing maps, making scorecards, or writing checkpoint descriptions.

Where to get	Office supply stores, dollar stores
Alternatives	Cut paper, sticky notes
Used in	Geometric-O, Score-O
Learning connection	Index cards are a versatile tool for quick map sketches and student-created materials.

Pencils NG Kit

Standard pencils for recording scores, marking maps, or writing descriptions.

Where to get	Classroom supplies
Alternatives	Pens, crayons
Used in	Score-O, Geometric-O
Learning connection	Writing tools let students record their navigation decisions and results.

Scorecards and pencils NG Kit

Cards where students record which checkpoints they visited during Score-O. Each card has spaces for checkpoint letter codes.

Where to get	Print from curriculum templates, or use index cards
Alternatives	Small clipboards with blank paper, checkpoint stamp/hole punch systems
Used in	Score-O, Poker-O, Poison-O
Learning connection	Scorecards add accountability. Students must record evidence of each visit, which reinforces careful navigation over rushed movement.

General Equipment

Black marker NG Kit

A permanent marker for labeling checkpoint codes, writing on cones, or marking maps.

Where to get	Office supply stores
Alternatives	Any dark-colored permanent marker
Used in	Setup for all checkpoint-based activities
Learning connection	Clear labeling is essential for checkpoint identification. Students need to read codes to confirm the correct checkpoint.

Flags or pinnies

Colored cloth flags or mesh vests used for team identification in competitive activities.

Where to get	PE equipment closet
Alternatives	Bandanas, colored wristbands, different colored cones per team
Used in	Capture the Flag, relay activities
Learning connection	Team identification supports territory and boundary concepts. In Capture the Flag, the boundary between territories is the strategic focus.

Results whiteboard

A large whiteboard on an easel (or paper on a clipboard) placed near start/finish for students to record their times and track which courses they have completed.

Where to get	Classroom supplies, portable easel whiteboards from office supply stores
Alternatives	Large paper pad on an easel, paper on a clipboard, poster board
Used in	Animal-O, Geometric-O, Score-O
Learning connection	Visible time tracking is highly motivating. Students can see which courses they still need to do and compare times, which encourages repeat attempts and self-improvement.

Small whiteboard and markers

A small portable whiteboard used for the Geometric-O map introduction. The leader draws the checkpoint layout (with deliberate errors) while students watch and help fix orientation.

Where to get	Classroom supplies, dollar stores
Alternatives	Paper on a clipboard, large index card
Used in	Geometric-O
Learning connection	The whiteboard introduction is where students first see a map being created. Drawing it live makes the connection between space and map concrete.

Whistle or gathering signal

A whistle, raised hand, flag, or other signal used to call students back to the gathering point.

Where to get	PE equipment, outdoor stores
Alternatives	Air horn, raised flag, countdown call, hand signals (for hearing-impaired students)
Used in	Gathering, all activities (for transitions)
Learning connection	The gathering signal trains divided attention. Students must stay aware of the signal while focused on their navigation task. This is the first orienteering skill: awareness in terrain.