Download Compass Reading student worksheet

Compass Reading
Name
Homeroom
Navigating without a Compass.
“The navigator knows the geography, he watches the stars at night, watches the sun at day; when it is dark and cloudy, he watches the compass"
Zhu Yu 1117 AD
From the book Pingzhou Ke Tan (Pingzhou Table Talks)
Look around.
Look for moss on average it usually grows most plentifully on the north, least sunny, moist side of trees.
Look for spider webs - they tend to appear on the warmer, south sides of trees. Watch the sun throughout
the day - it rises and sets - more or less east to west. Check the direction of the wind – watch the clouds
move, which in Pennsylvania is generally west-to-east. In winter take notice which side of a ridge
experienced more snow-melt – usually that’s the south side.
Use the Sun.
Early in the day the shadows cast by the Sun point west. Late in the
afternoon the shadows point east. Around noon it can be difficult.
However, in our hemisphere, the sun is roughly in the South. You can find
north by the shadow’s movement.
West
East
Use a changing shadow.
Put a tall stick in the ground - mark the shadow’s end.
Later see where the shadow’s end has moved to.
Draw a line between these two end points – This is an east – west line.
Draw a line toward the sun.
Check what time it is – in this example it’s 4 PM
Draw a line on the ground toward the sun.
This line represents an hour hand.
Now draw a line on the ground to where the 12 should be.
Halfway between these two lines will point south.
4 PM
West
North
South
East
12
Use an analog wristwatch.
Although analog watches are rare you can use one to find south.
Hold a working analog watch with “12 o’clock” facing left.
Move palm so the “hour hand” points in the sun’s direction.
The spot halfway between 12 and the hour hand is south.
Use the “North Star”.
The Big Dipper has seven bright stars and is easy to find on a clear night. Use the
two stars at its ladle’s end as a pointer to find the Little Dipper. The last star in the
Little Dipper’s tail is called the “North Star”. It’s brighter than the stars that make
up the Little Dipper. If you’re facing the North Star, you’re facing north. Imagine a
line straight down to the horizon – that is the general direction of North.
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The North Star, also called Polaris, is the brightest star in the
constellation Ursa Minor, aka Little Bear or Little Dipper.
How to use a compass.
Name
Homeroom
If you know that there is something that you’d recognize if seen
from a distance - such as a road, a trail, a stream, or a river
AND if you can determine its direction … North, East, South or West Then using a compass can help.
A compass is not always enough. You’ll go in one direction – not in circles –
But it’s very difficult to hit a small spot this way - that requires orienteering and mapreading skills. But if you can create a mental image of a map - and always know the
direction you’re going, and what land features are going to be in that direction it helps.
This type of compass is
recommended for beginners.
When a compass is used correctly - held flat, and steady, and free from magnetic attractions like a staple in a map, or in
iron tools or other iron objects the red end of the needle will always point North. Although rare, there is the possibility
for magnetic attraction in soil – such as could easily happen in a mining area.
PRACTICE
What are the parts of a compass?
Hold the compass flat in your hand.
Find the “base plate”.
Find the “travel arrow”.
Find the “rotating housing”.
Find the “needle”.
Which direction is north?
Rotating Housing
Travel Arrow
The red part of the compass needle - on some it might be red and
white - always points towards the earth's magnetic north pole.
What if you want to go “North-West”?
1. Turn the “rotating housing” so that northwest on the housing
comes to where the travel-arrow on the base-plate meets the housing.
2. Stand directly behind the compass while holding it flat.
3. Then turn yourself, your hand, and compass until the needle is aligned with north on the rotating housing.
4. Aim it at a viewable distant point in the traveling direction.
Don’t stare down at the compass while walking - aim it at a viewable distant point in that direction - go there and check
you’re bearings. Be careful - It’s important that the compass needle is always pointing north in the compass housing.
When you’re sure you've got it right, walk off in the direction the travel-arrow is pointing. To avoid getting off course,
check the compass bearings frequently - about every 5 minutes or every 100 steps.
Compass Quiz.
Names in Group
Homeroom
1.
What is the number of degrees for South?
______
2.
What is the number of degrees for West?
______ .
3.
What is the number of degrees for Southwest?
______
4.
What is the number of degrees for Northwest?
______
5.
What is the number of degrees for East?
6.
What is the number of degrees for Southeast?
______ .
7.
What is the number of degrees for Northeast?
______ .
8.
Which hemisphere do you live in?
9.
Approximate the latitude where you live?
10.
Which direction would the compass needle point at the South Pole?
11.
Which way will a shadow fall in the afternoon? ____________________ .
12.
What time of day are shadows shortest? ____________________ .
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.
______
______________________________
____________________
.
______.
13. Describe how to find the “North Star”.
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14.
In which direction is NEED Camp from our school?
____________________
15.
Which 3 letter U.S. agency has a compass on their emblem? ____._____._____. .
16.
Which baseball team has a compass on their emblem?
17.
Which car company makes an SUV called the “Compass”?
____________________
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18. What should be known or done before hiking?
______________________________________________________________________________________
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19. How many different items can you list to bring when hiking or camping?
______________________________________________________________________________________
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20.
Draw a map [on the back] of south-central Pennsylvania including major land
features – rivers, streams and known major roads and towns.