American Museum of Natural History
Create a Compass
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.
NOAA
Make Your Own Compass
Scholars build a compass using a needle, cork, magnet, and a water-filled cup in order to locate the magnetic north and south.
Space Awareness
The Sun Compass of the Vikings
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...
Curated OER
Orienteering - Lesson 5 - Compasses
Out in the middle of nowhere and not sure which way to turn? Learn how to use a compass so you don't ever have to be lost in the wilderness. Learn how to pick a landmark and get a bearing. This lesson is one part of a 10 lesson unit on...
Curated OER
Compass Building Instructions
Learners build their own compass following a given procedure. In this technology lesson, students explain how a compass is used in navigation. They trace the history of its development.
Curated OER
Make Your Own Compass
Students explore magnetism. In this "magnets" science lesson plan, students make a compass with common household items and explain the relationship between what a compass does and the earth's magnetic fields.
Curated OER
Compass Rose
Second graders practice identifying the four cardinal directions. After locating a compass rose on a map, 2nd graders explain each point that corresponds to a direction. Using a toy ship as a manipulative on a map, students observe its...
Curated OER
The Top 5 Ancient Chinese Inventions
For this top five ancient Chinese inventions worksheet, students investigate each Chinese invention in detail along with the top five British inventions of all time. Students then answer five comprehension questions while writing an...
Curated OER
History of Physics
In this history worksheet, students use the questions to discover meaningful science and history connections. The worksheet is meant to be viewed online to access individual answers.
Curated OER
Finding the Way
Students identify and research navigational tools used in deep sea explorations. They are introduced to a compass, the Global Positioning System and sonar technology and then describe their uses in underwater exploration.
Curated OER
Shapes (Orienteering)
Students explore the tools of navigation. In this shapes lesson, students navigate using direction cues to create a shape. Students follow specific steps to create their shapes. Students use compasses to see the directions they are...
Curated OER
Globe Lesson 4 - The Compass
Students study compass' and their use in navigation. In this compass lesson, students use a compass and a globe to answer the questions about navigation.
Balanced Assessment
Plenty of Pentagons
Why are only four colors needed to color webs from regular pentagons, not five? An assessment task requires young mathematicians to first construct regular pentagons using a compass and straightedge, then has them consider a shape formed...
Curated OER
Middle Ages Cross Curriculum Project
Middle schoolers complete several projects on the Middle Ages. In this world history lesson, students complete language arts, social studies, math, and science projects. Some of these include: comparing a teenager's life now to that in...
Urbana School District
Magnetism
The compass was first used in 206 B.C., but we didn't discover magnetic poles until 1263 A.D. Presentation begins with the history of magnetism before continuing on to magnetic fields, magnetic forces, electromagnets, currents,...
Scholastic
Reading Symbols
Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass serves as the anchor text for a lesson on symbolism. Readers use the provided worksheets to examine the symbols in the novel as well as in the world around them.
Curated OER
Sam Houston for President...Again
Fourth graders discover the political career of Sam Houston. In this Texas history lesson, 4th graders research primary resources and create a modern-day version of Sam Houston's political campaign of the 1840s.
Curated OER
Basic Orienteering
Students study orienteering. In this science lesson, students study the parts of a compass and use the compass to set a bearing and follow the bearing on the compass.
Curated OER
Our States, My State
Students examine the Louisiana state quarter and locate Louisiana on a map of the U.S. They relate the location of Louisiana to other states (and vise versa) using directions and the compass rose.
Curated OER
In Mr. Lincoln's Shoes
Learners demonstrate basic map skills. For this US history lesson, students review cardinal directions and use a compass rose while at the same time discuss what life was like for Abraham Lincoln.
Curated OER
The Historical Development of Magnetism
Students discuss the history and importance of magnets to the world. In this magnetism lesson, students write an essay of a world without magnets. Students may research addition information to add details about uses of magnets.
Curated OER
An Age of Exploration
Students investigate U.S. history by examining North American timelines. In this American exploration lesson, students research the events that led to Columbus finding America and participate in a jeopardy game regarding his adventure....
Space Awareness
How To Travel On Earth Without Getting Lost
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.
Curated OER
Christopher Columbus: The Man, the Myth, the Legend
Learn more about maps by examining Christopher Columbus's voyage to the New World. Kindergartners will learn about basic map skills and how to identify the compass rose, oceans, and land masses. They will also discover the purpose of...