Photo Clue Orienteering Around School
In pairs, students get photos of spots around school and must find each place, where a control marker shows a letter. It builds orienteering in a familiar setting, attention to detail, and shared decision-making.
How to play
- Before class, hang 12 lettered control markers in visible spots on the playground, photograph each spot, and make envelopes with 4 photos per pair.
- Gather students at the start point, form pairs, and mark the boundaries of the play area with cones (3 min).
- Each pair gets an envelope with 4 photos and a score card, heads out, finds the place in each photo, and writes down the letter on the marker there (8 min).
- Back at the start, the teacher checks the letters and hands over a second envelope with 4 new photos.
- In round two (8 min) the photos show smaller details, like a water spigot or a fence corner.
- Pairs score a point per correct letter; as a bonus, they unscramble the letters into a secret word.
- Finish with a 4-minute debrief on which photos were hardest and which details helped.
Rules
- Partners always move together; if they split up, they regroup at the start point.
- Do not touch or move the markers: just write down the letter.
- Jog or walk fast; never run on stairs, in hallways, or around pillars.
Variations
Easier
Use photos of large, familiar places like the goal and ask for only 3 photos per round.
Standard
Each pair looks for 4 photos per round over two rounds, mixing big landmarks with a few details.
Harder
Use photos of tiny details or odd angles and require pairs to find them in a set order.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: place that student's markers on routes with no steps and let the partner run any hard-to-reach stretch.
- Autism or shyness: assign a trusted partner and show a sample photo next to the real spot beforehand.
- Fitness level: faster pairs search the far end of campus; pairs who need more time search nearby.
Learning goals
- Recognize places around the school from photographs.
- Move independently and safely through the immediate surroundings.
- Decide with a partner on the route order.
Equipment for a class of 25
- printed photos: 96
- control markers: 12
- cones: 8
- score cards: 13
- pencils: 13
Teacher tip
Take the photos at the same time of day as class so the lighting matches. Number them on the back and keep a spare set.
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