STEPPING OUT
| Purpose: | To practice the technique of following compass bearings for specified distances. |
|---|---|
| Season: | |
| Description: | Teams of students (2 or 3 per group) begin at a central point and move through a compass course following a series of bearings for specific distances. |
| Materials: | Silva Polaris Type 7 Orienteering compass, clipboard, pencil, course cards.(see below) |
| TEKS: | 4.1A 4.4A,B 5.1A 5.1A,B 5.4AB |
| Procedure: | * Before beginning the activity, have students practice
pacing for accuracy and review steps for following a bearing. 1. Each team is given a course card (see sample below) listing the bearings and the distances in feet for each reading. 2. At five-minute intervals, the teams begin the course and proceed through the different bearings. Each part of the course should lead to a certain object or point: tree, bush, flagpole, corner of building (see illustration-attached). 3. Once a team has completed the course the students identify the final object. If they are wrong, encourage them to try it again. |
| Options and Extensions: | Set up the Silva Compass competition game in the school yard. Order from Orienteering Services, USA, Box 1604, Binghamton, New York 13902-0966. |
Course Card Starting Point: Flagpole Go 45 degrees for 100 ft. Then go 258 degrees for 65 ft. Then go 120 degrees for 130 ft. Then go 0 degrees for 40 ft. |
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