Route Choice Showdown: Straight or Around
On long legs with two clear options, a shorter one with obstacles and a longer one on paths, each pair tries both routes on the clock and compares. Students work on decision-making, map reading, and pacing.
How to play
- Draw three long legs on the map, 150 to 250 yards each, with two possible routes: A, direct but with detours around fences or slopes, and B, longer but on a path.
- Pair students up and give each pair a worksheet with the three legs; before starting, each student writes down which route they think will be faster and why.
- Leg 1: one partner runs route A and the other runs route B at the same time; the teacher starts them, and each writes down their time from the finish stopwatch.
- Walk for 1 minute to recover, then repeat the same leg with routes switched so both partners try both.
- Repeat the process on legs 2 and 3, about 5 minutes per leg including the walk back.
- In the last 5 minutes, each pair works out the time difference and shares with the class which map details could have predicted the result.
Rules
- Both routes must follow the line drawn; cutting off it voids the time.
- Write the time on the worksheet right when you finish, without rounding.
- Safety: no jumping fences or running down steep banks; go around or walk down.
Variations
Easier
Use only two legs with very different, easy-to-tell-apart routes.
Standard
Three legs with two routes each, timed in pairs.
Harder
Add a third route the pair designs themselves and tests on the last leg.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the student compares two accessible routes with different surfaces or lengths.
- Visual impairment: the student runs the routes with a guide and records perceived effort as well as time.
- Fitness level: each student compares their own times, not their partner's.
Learning goals
- Analyze the pros and cons of different routes on the map.
- Choose the most efficient route based on distance, terrain, and slope.
- Compare times to check personal predictions.
Equipment for a class of 25
- maps: 25
- stopwatch: 2
- worksheets: 13
Teacher tip
Pick legs where the answer is not obvious so there is a real debate. Stand at a central spot where you can see both routes, and stagger the starts so pairs do not bunch up.
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