Today was Cubs and the theme for the day was Compass and Mapping.
So, how do you teach a group of 7 to 10 year olds how to use a compass or map?
We started with a great “steam-off” game: Outside (unless you have a hall or large, uncluttered area), point out the 4 compass points – North, South, East & West. Call these out randomly, and the children have to run to that point as fast as possible. For fun, throw in a few extra’s – North East or South West. This is a great way to get rid of extra energy and learn the compass points at the same time!
Our 7-year olds then went out to observe where the sun rises, the path it follows, and where it sets. The 8 and 9-year olds paced out the dimensions of the hall/meeting place and attempted to draw a draft map, showing all the rooms, windows, doorways, etc.
The 10-year olds took a walk around the block (accompanied by an adult) with a street map, observing streets and “map” signs, such as those indicating churches and schools. On their return, they mapped out where they had been.
They were all given a diagram of a compass to fill in the points, that looked like this:
Feel free to copy this for your own use. If you wish to pass it on, please direct your friends to this site.
Have Fun! Look out next Tuesday for fun Woodcraft Trails and a Compass Point Game.