Map and Compass

Map and Compass

Note: map and compass skills are complicated and can take years to learn well. The following is a progression for students at Trackers, acknowledging that most of our students will not make it to the end of this progression. Maps and compasses should be taught separately at first, because combining them makes things way more complicated!

Maps Level 1: What is a map? Making a group map.

Materials: Paper, colored pencils, graphite pencils, ERASERS, clipboards, (optional: profesional map of the area you are in)

Time allotted: 1 hour

Intro: What is a map? Why do we have them? Discuss what it means to represent something else. Not every single thing we see is going to go onto the map -- that wouldn’t be useful. What’s important to the mapmaker/user? why?

Activity: make on group map with kids. Talk about the questions/items above. Take a walk where you are, and note certain landmarks that are important to your group. Remember them, talk about them as you are walking, and have a group map where you are noting the location of each thing. When you get back, talk together about how you want to note the items on your map, and what else should go on there. Make a key and a title for your map. Distance is important. How far did we walk? How long did it take us? How far apart are each of our locations?

Fun twist: if another group is doing the same thing, hide an object somewhere within the scope of your map. Either put an “x” on your map at the location of the object, or write directions using the handrails/landmarks you chose to lead the other group to the object. Switch maps and go on a treasure hunt!

Debrief: How did it go? What would have made the map more clear? If possible, bring out a map of the area you are in. What does it have that yours didn’t? What does yours have that the professional one didn’t? Which one is more useful for what you are doing? Close out the lesson by discussing the important elements of a map: landmarks handrails scale labels key title orientation (doesn’t have to be towards a cardinal direction, just several large enough landmarks that it is easy to orient!) Scaling: For the youngest kids, this lesson is mostly about WHY we make maps. More emphasis on looking at the one that’s already made. One option would be to bring out the professional map first, or even have copies that could be written on, and just have them trace and/or add their own landmarks to the one that is already made. This would set them up for success in terms of finding the items. Another option is to do a mini-lesson first where you just have kids make their own maps, and then offer feedback on them in front of the group. Make sure to offer praise as well, but be clear about how the map could be more useful. This makes it less abstract, and gives them something concrete to attach the ideas they are learning onto. Then jump in to the lesson above once they’ve “gotten their feet wet” and have a better idea of what we’re talking about.

   For older kids (or even adults) who have dealt with maps before, it is still important to have these discussions so that they understand the theory behind maps and mapmaking. Give them more autonomy in making the group map, or have them each make their own map but still go on the group walk together so they have the same landmarks. 

Maps level 2: Can you map? Making your own map.

Materials: Paper, colored pencils, graphite pencils, erasers, clipboards

Intro: After completing “Maps Level 1,” quiz your students on the important features of a map. Depending on your camp context, you may want to remind them of what kind of things a ranger, wilder, mariner, pirate, etc. finds important in a map. Water? medicinal plants? animal trails?

Activity: Students each make a map using the features you discussed, for the purpose you state. An herbalist, a camper new to the area, a treasure hunter, your mom, etc.needs to find their way around. What will be helpful to them? Remind them to include landmarks, handrails, scale (can be achieved using a lake, parking lot, building etc to show scale so it doesn’t need to be exact), orientation (same as scale), labels, key, and title.

   Then, have them pair up with a partner, and offer suggestions on how to make it better. Use this as an opportunity to teach the proper way to give feedback. Some positive and some improvements, framed as how to “Do it better” in the classic Trackers tradition. Give students time to make the suggested changes. Check in with each pair and offer your own suggestions. 

Fun twist: Have each student hide something somewhere in the bounds of their maps. Put an “x” on the spot. Remind them that it should be hidden, not in plain sight. If the instructor can find any object without a map, they are DQ’d!

   Next, have students turn in their maps, and then hand them out randomly to a new person (shouldn’t be the mapmaker or their revision partner). Let them try to find the hidden object! Celebrate the success of both the mapmaker and the treasure hunter when they find something, since it was teamwork that allowed it to happen. 

Scaling: For younger kids, make sure to really help in the revision process and set them up for success. Carefully monitor the tone of the feedback happening. This may be better achieved in several small groups, each with an instructor present, to moderate the discussion.

For older kids/more experienced mapmakers, give each student a different smallish area to map. They will have to be more creative with their landmarks. When they switch, it will be more challenging since the hunter will not already be familiar with the terrain.

Maps Level 3: Topographic maps I: What is topography? (note: probably only for ages 9+, unless the kids are rock stars)

Materials: markers, topo maps, paper, pencils, clipboards, (optional: cardboard topo cutouts)

Time allotted: half an hour for teenagers/adults, longer for younger students

Intro: Look around. Is the world flat? Are maps flat? How do we show what the world looks like on a flat map? Explain what elevation means. We want to be able to see elevation on a map at any given point. Why? This shows us the easier ways to travel, where to find water, where there’s a flat place to camp, where will be warmer or colder, what plants might grow there (depending on the ecology of the slope)

Activity: Start off by looking at the mountain range of your hand in a fist. There are four peaks (one is probably the biggest) and three valleys, some ridges and saddles, etc. Then imagine that you take a picture from each side, and draw some straight lines on, that are evenly spaced apart. Actually draw these on your hand. They should look something like this, but I suggest drawing them over your fingers as well to show the “drainages”:

Then spread your hand flat, and look at the shapes that were created: concentric circles, hourglass shapes, Vs and Us, lines close together, lines far apart, etc. Go back and forth, showing what each one creates.

Next draw on your paper some side views of features. Have the kids make topo drawings of them. Draw topo drawings on your paper, and have the students draw what they think it would look like.

Finally, look at the land around you, and draw what some of the features seem to look like. Talk about the challenges of drawing topography without instruments.

Vocabulary: contour line, contour interval, elevation, saddle/pass, ridge, valley, peak, drainage

Scaling: For younger kids, be prepared to spend a lot of time with each shape, and practicing them. You could maybe even make little flash cards to quiz them on the shapes. Really though, this is an advanced idea and may be difficult for younger kids.

For older students/adults, this is STILL a hard concept. If they are flying through this, give them more challenging drawings to create/interpret.

Maps Level 4: Topographic maps II: Interpreting topo maps

Materials: topographic maps, preferably of the location you are in, pencils, paper

Time allotted: half an hour, more if you want more practice

Intro: Remind students of vocabulary from Topo I, and of what shapes mean what. Go over the standard colors used on topo maps (white, green, purple, blue)

Activity: pull out topo maps, put students in groups of 2-4 and start by having students identify the main features of the map: Title, location, scale, date, contour interval. Then have them find a: trail, building, road, peak, valley, drainage, saddle, steep slope, gentle slope, ridge.

Ask them to trace with a finger the easiest way to get between two points. Do they end up following a drainage or ridge? An existing trail/road? Ask them to draw some of the features they see on the map. What do they imagine this place looks like? (Bonus points if you actually have photos for them to compare to!)

Maps Level 5: Creating a trail profile

Materials: Topo map with a trail on it, string, paper, pencils, rulers

Intro: You are going on a trip, and you want to know how challenging each day will be so that you can plan accordingly. Or, you’re trying to figure out if an elderly friend will be able to come with you, but you’re not sure if it will be too steep. Trail profiles are a way to visualize how steep it will be.

Activity:

Compass Level 1: What is it??

Materials: One compass per student.

Time: 30 minutes - 1 hour, depending on age/focus

Intro: What does a compass do? What does it NOT do?

Activity: Go over the parts of the compass: plate, bezel, direction of travel arrow, needle, “red”, “shed”. Practice keeping the compass flat. Start with it on the ground/table, then move to holding it in your hand. It takes practice to keep it flat in your hand! Practice making sure the arrow still swings as you turn it, so that you know it’s flat.

Next, turn the compass/bezel so that the red part of the needle is pointing to the N on the compass (red is in the shed). That is called orienting the compass. What direction are you facing?

Then, practice holding the compass close to your body so that your body is aligned with it. Practice walking without the needle moving too much -- but make sure it’s flat!

Finally, have the group walk in a square by following the compass. Place an item, like a hat or water bottle, where each student is standing. Have them walk North for 10 steps, West for 10 steps, South for 10 steps, East for 10 steps, and they should end up close to where they started. Remind them that this is not about winning! It’s about practicing.

Compass Level 2: Shooting and following a bearing

Compass Level 3: Going around things and backtracking

Map and Compass level 1: Orienting the Map and Using Declination

Map and Compass Level 2: Taking a bearing/Map to Compass

Map and Compass Level 3: Shooting a bearing/Compass to map

Map and Compass Level 4: Triangulation