Skip to Content
Register · Login
About Theme

A Letterboxing Community

Atlas Quest
Search Edit Search

Read Thread: Teaching directions

Re: Teaching directions
Board: Homeschooling
Reply to: #876069 by photopam
Nov 11, 2014 8:39am
Thread (disabled) Board
Never eat shredded wheat. Helps with remembering the directions. Mnemonics always helped me.
Re: Teaching directions
Board: Homeschooling
Reply to: #876069 by photopam
Nov 11, 2014 8:42am
Thread (disabled) Board
I taught my 3 yr old to read a compass by putting a few xs in tape around the yard. Then have him stand there, I would say find n. He would find north and walk until he found a prize. Usually a quarter, we did this for awhile and then went to subway to get a waffle come Sunday. He still knows how to do it. We made it a fun game with a big reward. He can still do it, but does make mistakes.
Re: Teaching directions
Board: Homeschooling
Reply to: #876070 by Alaska hsm
Nov 11, 2014 8:44am
Thread (disabled) Board
Her thing is she gets the sw,ne mixed up. Ask her where the store is from the house on a map, and if it's not a straight line, she gets confused. Say the store is NE from the house, she says SW. Or forgets the East. I had her draw a map on the driveway yesterday so we could move around it, and help her visualize better. Tried to explain to her that the compass rose moves with you. Just wondering if anyone had any ideas to help her "get it". It hasn't clicked for her yet.

Thanks!
Re: Teaching directions
Board: Homeschooling
Reply to: #876073 by photopam
Nov 11, 2014 9:05am
Thread (disabled) Board
I don't have any words of wisdom, but wanted to share that I had similar issues with directions when I was a kid. I didn't get how north wasn't always straight ahead! Eventually I got it, and I ended up as salutatorian of my high school class, so being directionally challenged in elementary school fortunately did not have an impact on my future success. ;)
Re: Teaching directions
Board: Homeschooling
Reply to: #876069 by photopam
Nov 11, 2014 9:13am
Thread (disabled) Board
I like the mnemonics and compass suggestions.

I would also start having her learn the United States map. Most kids can remember that California is west, and where the sun sets. The north is the North Pole and it is on top, and the East is where the sun rises, and you can figure out a state she might recognise.

I think visual and audio cues combined, help.

In my town, it is very flat and I can't see the coast... But I can reference a few different roads and then visualize where the ocean is, from there.

Getting her very familiar with your town's map will help, too. We rely so much on GPS usage, we don't have clear pictures in our heads of orientation

I'm sure my 9 year old would confuse the directions as well! I'm positive of it, actually.
Re: Teaching directions
Board: Homeschooling
Reply to: #876070 by Alaska hsm
Nov 11, 2014 9:13am
Thread (disabled) Board
I learned NEVER EAT SOGGY WAFFLES... I like shredded wheat
Re: Teaching directions
Board: Homeschooling
Reply to: #876069 by photopam
Nov 11, 2014 9:23am
Thread (disabled) Board
Take her letterboxing! With a compass! :)
Re: Teaching directions
Board: Homeschooling
Reply to: #876069 by photopam
Nov 11, 2014 9:34am
Thread (disabled) Board
This is how I taught my kids: http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb//pubs/teachers-packets/mapadventures/

It's fun and they still have directions down several years later.
Re: Teaching directions
Board: Homeschooling
Reply to: #876082 by Hosmer's
Nov 11, 2014 10:17am
Thread (disabled) Board
Oooh thanks! These look good. I'll try them out with her later.
Thanks!