Review North, South, East and West. Show that the red compass needle always faces magnetic North. When it lines up with the “N” on the compass, the letters on the compass line up with the respective direction. For example, “S” lines up with South.
Read the degrees on the edge of a compass. They range from zero to 360 degrees. Explain that this allows you to get from one point to another when used in conjunction with the directional symbols.
Drive to somewhere outside the city with a detailed topographical map. Locate where you are on the map, then use the compass to line the map up with each respective direction.
Pick a landmark from the map near you. Place a protractor so that the middle of the protractor — where there's a circle at the bottom — overlaps your position. The protractor will curve out to the left or right, whichever is closest to the location toward which you want to travel.
Draw a straight line from the first location to the second. If the line passes through the protractor on the left side, use the bottom numbers. If the line passes through the protractor on the right side, use the top numbers and subtract that number from 360.
Turn the compass housing so that the travel arrow lines up with the degree number you found in Step 5. Lay the compass flat in your hand and turn it, but not the housing, so that the red compass needle lines up with the orienting arrows and points to the “N.”
Walk forward. If the student has calculated directly, he will end up at the second location landmark.
Practice using degrees by picking a shape, such as an equilateral triangle. Instruct the student to face North. Adjust the compass so that he walks at a 60-degree angle for 50 steps. Ask him to readjust so that he's walking for 50 steps at a 120-degree angle, since two 60-degree angles equal 120 degrees. Have him adjust a third time for an 180-degree angle and walk 50 steps. He should end up roughly where he started.