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Description

Activity to teach map and compass work, under the guise of a hunt for hidden pirate treasure.

Resources

Pirate treasure e.g. Celebrations/Roses inside a box/hamper or similar (I used an old christmas hamper). Hide treasure at the end of the treasure hunt.
Paper N/E/S/W compasses for each child
Piece of paper with 'N' for north written on it
Maps with start point listed, and directions to the treasure in the form of compass directions e.g. 'at T junction, turn east'. See attached example. One per pair of children
Real compasses

Instructions

Preamble
- explain to the children that you saw a pirate hiding a treasure map. The more elaborate the better! 'He had huge bushy beard and a scar running down from his eye to his mouth'!
- explain that we can try to find the treasure, but to do that we need to learn how to use a compass, because the map contains directions to the treasure in the form of compass points

Points of the compass game
- pin a paper 'N' to the north wall of the building
- give each child a paper N/E/S/W compass
- tell children about 'Never Eat Shredded Wheat' or similar
- shout compass point, and children must run to the relevant wall

Compass orientation
- explain that now we know the points of the compass, we have to learn how to know which way is which when we're out of doors, so that we don't get lost whilst finding the pirates treasure
- show the children how to orientate the compass
- put the children in pairs, give each a compass, let them have a play

Treasure hunt
- give a brief safety talk
- head outside and have the children decipher directions
- give details of the pirate as you go along

Tags

(none)

Badge Links

• Navigator - 4 compass points
• Navigator - Use map