Map to Compass in Three Steps
Students learn to take a bearing straight off the map with a baseplate compass and follow it to controls they cannot see from the start. They practice combined map-and-compass technique and independence outdoors.
How to play
- Spend 4 minutes explaining and demonstrating the three steps: 1) lay the compass edge from start to control; 2) turn the housing until its lines match the north lines on the map; 3) turn your body until the red needle sits inside the north arrow.
- In pairs, students practice the three steps in place on two legs of the map while the teacher checks their degrees.
- They head out on a 6-control course in the park or field, with controls 60 to 120 yards apart and not visible from one another.
- At each control, one partner takes the bearing off the map and the other double-checks it before they leave; they write the degrees in the map margin.
- The course takes about 14 minutes; each pair records every control code and whether they found it on the first try.
- In the final 4 minutes, review the recorded bearings and figure out which step caused each mistake.
Rules
- Always take the bearing from where you are to where you are going, with the direction-of-travel arrow pointing at the control.
- Both partners must get the same bearing, within 5 degrees, before leaving.
- Safety: walk or jog watching the ground and stay inside the marked boundaries.
Variations
Easier
Use short legs with visible controls so students can check right away whether the bearing is right.
Standard
Six controls with no line of sight between them.
Harder
Include a leg over 150 yards that requires combining the bearing, a pace count, and reading features.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the student takes bearings for the partner and covers the legs that follow paths.
- Visual impairment: use a compass with large numbers and an enlarged map; the partner describes the direction using landmarks.
- Fitness level: walking between controls is fine; accuracy matters, not speed.
Learning goals
- Take a bearing off the map with a compass using three steps.
- Follow a bearing to a point that cannot be seen from the start.
- Spot and fix personal technical errors.
Equipment for a class of 25
- maps: 13
- compasses: 13
- control markers: 6
Teacher tip
The most frequent mistake is laying the compass backward, from control to start, and walking the opposite way. Maps need clear north lines every inch or so.
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