Orienteering

Compass usage on map (photo by Audrius Meskauskas, CC-BY-SA)
Compass usage on map (photo by Audrius Meskauskas, CC-BY-SA)

Orienteering is a sport which combines map reading, navigating from compass bearings and time management skills.

Our Orienteering program is designed to integrate aspects of the Year 4, 5 and 6 HPE, Geography and Mathematics curricula into a fun introduction to the sport.

Including options for both group and individual work, as well as the choice between competitive and non-competitive expressions, the program can be tailored to the requirements of the classes involved.

Layout

The comprehensive program includes three workshops:

  1. mapping skills, which includes an outdoor component where the students produce a map of their school suitable for orienteering purposes (this is usually not the map used for the final event, since that map needs to be standardised);
  2. introducing students to the orienteering compass and skills for taking bearings and navigating with the assistance of the compass;
  3. the actual orienteering event itself, where students mark a map and navigate to find control points, attempting to optimise their route and time.

Some of the project work is done in between the workshops, as part of the regular class work guided by the teacher using the workbook supplied.

Pricing and Availability

This program is generally facilitated by someone from OpenSTEM in conjunction with the class teacher, it requires specialised expertise in the areas of mapping and orienteering, as well as equipment – similar to our Soldering program, we have equipment kits that our facilitator brings to the workshops for use. This reduces the up-front costs for schools.

Contact us for more details!

Credits

This OpenSTEM program was developed by Claire Reeler.

Curriculum Integration

OpenSTEM aims to provide educators with practical implementations of the curriculum, enabling students to gain hands-on experience and skills practice with real-world environments. Thus, it’s possible to integrate our programs in to your regular planning, rather having to make special time for it or seeing it as an extra-curricular activity.

As shown below, the subject matter spans Geography, Mathematics, Health and Physical Education, applying to Year 4 to 6 [Curriculum source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)]. We are working on an even more precise mapping so that you can see whether a topic is just touched on or covered in extensive detail, including the exercises in practical applications of acquired skills and knowledge.

Geography

Year 4

  • Collect and record relevant geographical data and information, for example, by observing, by interviewing, conducting surveys and measuring, or from sources such as maps, photographs, satellite images, the media and the internet (ACHGS027)
  • Represent the location of places and their features by constructing large-scale maps that conform to cartographic conventions including scale, legend, title and north point, and describe their location using simple grid references, compass direction and distance (ACHGS029)
  • Interpret geographical data to identify distributions and patterns and draw conclusions (ACHGS030)
  • Present findings in a range of communication forms, for example, written, oral, digital, graphic, tabular and visual, and use geographical terminology (ACHGS031)
  • Reflect on their learning to propose individual action in response to a contemporary geographical challenge and identify the expected effects of the proposal (ACHGS032)

Year 5

  • Develop geographical questions to investigate and plan an inquiry (ACHGS033)
  • Collect and record relevant geographical data and information, using ethical protocols, from primary and secondary sources, for example, people, maps, plans, photographs, satellite images, statistical sources and reports (ACHGS034)
  • Represent the location and features of places and different types of geographical information by constructing large-scale and small-scale maps that conform to cartographic conventions, including border, source, scale, legend, title and north point, using spatial technologies as appropriate (ACHGS036)
  • Interpret geographical data and other information, using digital and spatial technologies as appropriate, and identify spatial distributions, patterns and trends, and infer relationships to draw conclusions (ACHGS037)
  • Present findings and ideas in a range of communication forms, for example, written, oral, graphic, tabular, visual and maps; using geographical terminology and digital technologies as appropriate (ACHGS038)

Year 6

  • Develop geographical questions to investigate and plan an inquiry (ACHGS040)
  • Collect and record relevant geographical data and information, using ethical protocols, from primary and secondary sources, for example, people, maps, plans, photographs, satellite images, statistical sources and reports (ACHGS041)
  • Evaluate sources for their usefulness and represent data in different forms, for example, maps, plans, graphs, tables, sketches and diagrams (ACHGS042)
  • Represent the location and features of places and different types of geographical information by constructing large-scale and small-scale maps that conform to cartographic conventions including border, source, scale, legend, title and north point, using spatial technologies as appropriate (ACHGS043)
  • Interpret geographical data and other information using digital and spatial technologies as appropriate, and identify spatial distributions, patterns and trends, and infer relationships to draw conclusions (ACHGS044)
  • Present findings and ideas in a range of communication forms, for example, written, oral, graphic, tabular, visual and maps, using geographical terminology and digital technologies as appropriate (ACHGS045)

Maths

Year 4

  • Use scaled instruments to measure and compare lengths, masses, capacities and temperatures (ACMMG084)
  • Convert between units of time (ACMMG085)
  • Compare angles and classify them as equal to, greater than or less than a right angle (ACMMG089)
  • Use simple scales, legends and directions to interpret information contained in basic maps (ACMMG090)

Year 5

  • Use a grid reference system to describe locations. Describe routes using landmarks and directional language (ACMMG113)
  • Use efficient mental and written strategies and apply appropriate digital technologies to solve problems (ACMNA291)

Year 6

  • Estimate, measure and compare angles using degrees. Construct angles using a protractor (ACMMG112)
  • Select and apply efficient mental and written strategies and appropriate digital technologies to solve problems involving all four operations with whole numbers (ACMNA123)
  • Convert between common metric units of length, mass and capacity (ACMMG136)
  • Solve problems involving the comparison of lengths and areas using appropriate units (ACMMG137)
  • Interpret and use timetables (ACMMG139)
  • Investigate, with and without digital technologies, angles on a straight line, angles at a point and vertically opposite angles. Use results to find unknown angles (ACMMG141)

Health and Physical Education

Year 3 & 4

Personal, Social and Community Health
Being healthy, safe and active
  • Examine how success, challenge and failure strengthen personal identities (ACPPS033)
  • Explore strategies to manage physical, social and emotional change (ACPPS034)
  • Describe and apply strategies that can be used in situations that make them feel uncomfortable or unsafe (ACPPS035) Identify and practise strategies to promote health, safety and wellbeing (ACPPS036)
Communicating and interacting for health and wellbeing
  • Describe how respect, empathy and valuing difference can positively influence relationships (ACPPS037)
  • Investigate how emotional responses vary in depth and strength (ACPPS038)
  • Discuss and interpret health information and messages in the media and on the Internet (ACPPS039)
Contributing to healthy and active communities
  • Describe strategies to make the classroom and playground healthy, safe and active spaces (ACPPS040)
  • Participate in outdoor games and activities to examine how participation promotes a connection between the community, natural and built environments, and health and wellbeing (ACPPS041)
  • Research own heritage and cultural identities, and explore strategies to respect and value diversity (ACPPS042)
Movement and Physical Activity
Moving our body
  • Practise and refine fundamental movement skills in different movement situations (ACPMP043)
  • Perform movement sequences which link fundamental movement skills (ACPMP044)
  • Practise and apply movement concepts and strategies (ACPMP045)
Understanding movement
  • Examine the benefits of physical activity and physical fitness to health and wellbeing (ACPMP046)
  • Combine the elements of effort, space, time, objects and people when performing movement sequences (ACPMP047)
Learning through movement
  • Adopt inclusive practices when participating in physical activities (ACPMP048)
  • Apply innovative and creative thinking in solving movement challenges (ACPMP049)
  • Apply basic rules and scoring systems, and demonstrate fair play when participating (ACPMP050)

Year 5 & 6

Personal, Social and Community Health
Being healthy, safe and active
  • Explore personal and cultural identities and how they change and adapt to different contexts and situations (ACPPS051)
  • Plan and practise strategies to promote health, safety and wellbeing (ACPPS054)
Communicating and interacting for health and wellbeing
  • Practise skills to establish and manage relationships (ACPPS055)
  • Examine the influence of emotional responses on behaviour and relationships (ACPPS056)
  • Recognise how media and important people in the community influence personal attitudes, beliefs, decisions and behaviours (ACPPS057)
Contributing to healthy and active communities
  • Investigate the role of preventive health in promoting and maintaining health, safety and wellbeing for individuals and their communities (ACPPS058)
  • Explore how participation in outdoor activities supports personal and community health and wellbeing and creates connections to the natural and built environment (ACPPS059)
  • Investigate and reflect on how valuing diversity positively influences the wellbeing of the community (ACPPS060)
Movement and Physical Activity
Moving our body
  • Practise specialised movement skills and apply them in different movement situations (ACPMP061)
  • Propose and apply movement concepts and strategies (ACPMP063)
Understanding movement
  • Participate in physical activities designed to enhance fitness, and discuss the impact regular participation can have on health and wellbeing (ACPMP064)
  • Manipulate and modify the elements of effort, space, time, objects and people to perform movement sequences (ACPMP065)
  • Participate in physical activities from their own and other cultures and examine how involvement creates community connections and intercultural understanding (ACPMP066)
Learning through movement
  • Participate positively in groups and teams by encouraging others and negotiating roles and responsibilities (ACPMP067)
  • Apply critical and creative thinking processes in order to generate and assess solutions to movement challenges (ACPMP068)
  • Demonstrate ethical behaviour and fair play that aligns with the rules when participating in a range of physical activities (ACPMP069)