Neighborhood Urban Orienteering in Threes
An orienteering race through the streets near the school using a city map: groups of three must find landmarks (fountains, statues, plaques) and answer a question at each one. Students work on map reading, route choice and pedestrian safety.
How to play
- Before leaving (4 minutes), go over the map with the whole class: scale, north, boundary streets that cannot be crossed and the final meeting point.
- Form groups of three; each gets a map with 8 marked points and a worksheet with one question per point (for example, "the year shown on the plaque").
- Groups leave one minute apart and choose their own order; they have 18 minutes to find as many points as possible.
- At each point they take a group photo with the landmark and write the answer on the worksheet; both count as proof.
- When the 18-minute phone alarm goes off, everyone heads back to the meeting point; each minute late costs one point.
- Check answers together for 5 minutes: one point per correct answer, plus a look at each group's route on the map.
Rules
- All three group members stay together and within sight of each other.
- Cross only at crosswalks and with the walk signal, walking or jogging, never running on busy sidewalks.
- Do not go past the boundary streets marked on the map.
Variations
Easier
Shrink the area to the school block with 5 points and the route already in order.
Standard
Eight points in any order inside a marked street boundary.
Harder
Use a map without street names and add two points described only by map grid coordinates.
Adaptations
- For students in wheelchairs, choose step-free points and check the route for curb cuts.
- For students who are blind or visually impaired, a teammate describes the surroundings while the student leads decisions using a tactile or enlarged map.
- Students with lower endurance can walk, and their group prioritizes the closest points.
Learning goals
- Read a city map to plan a route.
- Move around town following pedestrian safety rules.
- Make group decisions under time pressure.
Equipment for a class of 25
- maps: 9
- worksheets: 9
- smartphones: 9
Teacher tip
You need signed off-campus permission slips and, if possible, a second adult posted at the farthest point.
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