Activity
American Museum of Natural History

Create a Compass

For Students 6th - 12th
Historically, humans have used many methods of finding due north. Using a hands-on activity, learners create their own compasses. They then test their compasses in their neighborhood or to assist with stargazing.
Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Direction on the Earth: Using a Compass

For Students 6th - 8th
Navigate the world of orienteering in an informative interactive. Earth science scholars learn practical direction skills, such as proper polar coordinates and pairing compasses with maps. The interactive map allows them to practice...
Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Earth's Magnetic Field: Compass Poles

For Students 6th - 9th
You'll be strangely drawn to this activity! Physical science pupils learn how compasses work in an interesting interactive. The content covers magnetic poles, Earth's magnetic field, and what would happen if Earth's poles swapped places.
Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

The Sun Compass of the Vikings

For Teachers 7th - 10th Standards
Evidence shows the Vikings likely navigated by using a simple sundial to find their course. Videos, a short story, and discussion help bring this time period to life as they study European history with a hands-on experiment. Scholars...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using a Compass

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students determine how to shoot a bearing.  In this compass and orienteering lesson, students review the parts of a compass, practice how to find a bearing and work in groups to practice finding landmark bearings.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Compass Rose

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Students describe the movement of the Earth as it relates to the sun. They construct a permanent compass rose and use it to find directions.
Organizer
Curated OER

Compass Rose Activity

For Students 4th - 6th
Which direction is which? Use this compass rose labeling worksheet to practice with basic directions as learners fill in the compass themselves. They use cardinal and intermediate direction abbreviations. Consider using their compass on...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

True North, Magnetic North

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students explain why compass angles need to be corrected for regional magnetic variation. They observe the difference between magnetic and true north. Each student measures the angle of variation for a town in a different state.
Interactive
Scholastic

Study Jams! Magnetism

For Students 3rd - 6th
Six simple images pull your class into magnets. Most of the pictures show magnetic fields as revealed by iron filings. Concepts are explained in print along the bottom of each slide and include magnetic force, force fields, poles,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Science: Reading a Compass

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars demonstrate how to take bearings using a compass. In pairs, they select objects in the classroom then write down its first initial and bearing. They exchange papers and try to disciver their partner's object.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Orienteering - The Fundamentals

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students investigate the concept of a compass and it has been used in the past and in modern times. They practice using it in the wilderness in order to test its importance in various exploring activities. Each activity is accompanied by...
Lesson Plan
Science Matters

Magnetic Fields: The Earth Acts as a Giant Magnet

For Teachers 4th
Attract learners to an interesting lesson plan! The third in a 14-part series of lessons on electricity and magnetism uses a hands-on approach to exploring magnetic fields. Scholars experiment with a compass to test Earth's magnetic...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Azimuth and Altitude

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students use a compass and their hands to find positions of stars and planets in the night sky or of the sun during the day.
Lesson Plan
California Academy of Science

Which Way is North?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Who needs a compass to find cardinal directions? Just place a stick in the ground and record the movement of its shadow over the course of a day. Then, measure the shadow lengths in order to determine a north-south line. A simple...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Orienteering

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students acquaint with co-participants and identify the practice basic compass functions and orienteering procedures. They also work together to solve a small challenge. Students then identify how the challenge of orienteering relates...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

TE Activity: Northward Ho!

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars design a simple compass. They examine how the Earth's magnetic field has both horizontal and vertical components. They determine how a compass works and work with cardinal directions.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Topo Map Mania!

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students read and use topographical maps. They also use a compass to find bearing to an object on a map and in the classroom. Ask your students how they might travel to somewhere they have never been to befo
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Globe Lesson 4 - The Compass

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Learners study compass' and their use in navigation. In this compass lesson, students use a compass and a globe to answer the questions about navigation.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Forest Fun

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students explore orienteering and how to use a compass. They explore the importance of forests and identify some of the trees in a local forest.
Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

How To Travel On Earth Without Getting Lost

For Teachers 3rd - 7th Standards
Have you ever wanted to travel the world? Take a virtual trip with a geography lesson that uses longitude and latitude, the position of the sun, an astronomy app, and a classroom globe.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

People Change the Landscape

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine ways in which humans have brought change to the natural environment. In this ecology and literacy lesson, students listen to the book Island Boy by Barbara Cooney. Students observe and define map-reading vocabulary as...
Worksheet
Curated OER

All About the Animals

For Students 3rd - 4th
Whose footprints are those? After reading Janet Halfmann's book, Little Skink's Tail, young scholars use footprints to determine where on a gridded map certain animals have been spotted. They use the map to answer 3 questions, one...
Lesson Plan
Energy for Keeps

Getting Current: Generating Electricity Using a Magnet

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Give your class a magnetic charge with this creative experiment designed to teach emerging scientists about electromagnetism. Pupils construct a model that demonstrates the function of an electrical generator and test this creation in a...
Lesson Plan
NOAA

Animals of the Fire Ice

For Teachers 5th - 6th Standards
When the sun's rays can't reach the producers in a food web, where does all the energy come from? Extreme environments call for extreme food sources. Young scientists investigate creatures that appear to get their energy from methane...

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