Education

Learn the basics of using a map and compass for navigation, and put that knowledge to work by finding fixed points in the forest. This activity can be ranger guided or self guided and depending on the orienteering course chosen, can last from 1.5 hours to a full day.

Getting lost in unfamiliar surroundings is a common human experience. In this lesson students will take on the role of navigator and mapmaker to pinpoint a location. By doing so, students will recognize that migration across the Great Plains landscape in the 1830s and 1840s required a unique set of survival skills and navigational tools.

This lesson was designed to help students understand how to use navigation tools especially as they pertain to exploring the outdoors.

Students will be able to navigate through at least 5 landmarks in the outdoor campus using the directional signals of a compass rose. The affective goal of this activity is to have the students get outside and navigate through their natural world. I want them to see the importance of using a compass instead of just understanding how to read NSEW on google maps.

This in-class presentation explores the tools a student needs to hike safely in the desert ecosystem. Students learn their directions, things to bring with them, and what to do if they get lost.