Outdoor Education; Teaching Methods

This paper discusses the value of teaching map and compass skills in the classroom or an outdoor situation. Navigation is the most basic of all outdoor skills. A map and compass curriculum can be taught to anyone, is inexpensive, and is easily incorporated in a variety of educational situations. General teaching principles are outlined: (1) start with the basic idea of what a map is; (2) avoid too much detail about compasses with younger children; (3) use a combination of indoor and outdoor settings for teaching; (4) begin with the basics and build on them; and (5) use the utmost care when teaching about declination (the difference between magnetic north and true north). Three methods of adjusting for declination are described. Two teaching scenarios are suggested: a 2-hour course for younger children that includes map symbols, directions, compass reading, and an outdoor three-leg compass walk; and a 2-day course for secondary and college students that includes instruction in types and sources of maps, latitude and longitude, UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) coordinate system, map symbols, contour lines, compass reading, declination, and outdoor field sessions. An annotated list of resources includes books, a video, and Internet sites. (SAS) * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document.