B. Active Living / C. Movement Competence · Active Living and Movement: Train Smart, Respond Well, Play with Purpose

Map It, Move It: Orienteering and Outdoor Activities

C2 B1 A1.6About 45 minutes

Learning goals

I can describe the parts of an activity: its purpose, rules, equipment, skills, etiquette and safety.
I can read and orient a map, use map symbols and scale, and plan a route between points.
I can use orienteering techniques like thumbing, handrails, attack points and pace counting.
I can follow outdoor etiquette and safety rules and respect the land.

Words to know

orienteering
An outdoor activity where you use a map (and sometimes a compass) to find marked points, called controls, in order or in any order.

orient the map
Turn the map so that north on the map points north, and features on the map line up with the land.

control
A marked point on an orienteering course that you must find.

handrail
A long feature, like a path, fence or stream edge, that you can follow to help you navigate.

attack point
An easy-to-find feature close to a control, from which you go carefully to the control.

scale
How distances on the map compare with distances on the ground, like 1 cm = 50 m.

etiquette
The polite, expected way to behave in an activity, like staying on trails or letting faster people pass.

Remember from Grade 7

In Grade 7 you learned the rules, skills and etiquette of activities like ultimate, volleyball, badminton, disc golf and soccer, and compared game categories. You also planned for outdoor hazards.

Every activity has parts (or components) you need to understand: its purpose, rules, equipment, skills, etiquette and safety. This lesson applies those parts to an outdoor pursuit many people enjoy for life: orienteering.

Hook: the treasure hunt that's a sport

Imagine a treasure hunt where the clues are on a map, you choose your own route, and you race the clock through a park or forest. That's orienteering. People of all ages do it, from young kids to grandparents, walking or running.

The skills you learn (reading maps, choosing routes, staying calm when you're unsure) help in hiking, canoe tripping, cross-country skiing, and simply finding your way in a new place.

An orange-and-white orienteering control flag hanging from a wooden post in a forest, with a clear baseplate compass lying on a mossy log. — This orange-and-white flag is a control marker, the 'treasure' you look for in orienteering. The baseplate compass in front helps you set your map and choose a direction through the forest. AI-generated image

Component	Orienteering
Purpose	Find all the controls (in order, or as many as possible in a time limit) as quickly as you can
Rules	Visit controls in the right order (point-to-point) or any order (score-O); mark each control; stay in bounds; no out-of-bounds or private areas
Equipment	Map, compass (optional for beginners), running shoes, weather-ready clothes, water, watch
Skills	Orienting the map, reading symbols, judging distance, route choice, pace counting, running on uneven ground
Etiquette	Stay on trails where asked, don't damage plants, don't move or hide controls, leave no trace, respect other park users
Safety	Buddy system, boundaries, a meeting point and time, a whistle, telling someone your plan, checking the weather

The components of an activity. You can use this table for any sport or outdoor activity.

A practice orienteering map (not to scale). Triangle = start. Numbered circles = controls. Dashed line = path. Real orienteering maps use colours with meanings: blue for water, green for thick vegetation, yellow for open land; black for paths and rocks; brown for contour lines (hills).

Map skills

Orient the map: turn the map until features on the map line up with what you see, or until the map's north arrow points the same way as the marked end of your compass needle.
Read the legend: each symbol stands for something real (paths, fences, water, buildings).
Use the scale: on a 1:5 000 map, 1 cm on the map = 5 000 cm = 50 m on the ground.
Thumb the map: keep your thumb on your current location and move it as you go.
Use handrails: follow long features, like a path or the edge of a field.
Use an attack point: go fast to an easy feature near the control, then slow down and go carefully the last part.
Count paces: count each time your left foot lands. Measure how many of these double paces you take in 100 m on a flat path (many people take roughly 55 to 70).

Respecting the land

Many canoe routes and portages in Ontario were first used by First Nations peoples, and First Nations, Métis and Inuit people today continue to hold deep knowledge of the land and how to travel on it. Outdoor activities are a chance to learn about the land you're on and to care for it: stay on trails, pack out your garbage, and leave plants and animals undisturbed.

Lost? Stop and think

If you can't find a control or you're unsure where you are: stop, take a breath, and orient the map again. Look for a big feature you can recognize (a path, a pond, a field edge). Go back to the last place you were sure of. Staying calm is a skill, and it makes you faster.

Worked example

Let's plan a route

On the practice map, you're at the start (triangle) and need to reach control 2, in the open field. The map scale is 1 cm = 50 m. The straight-line distance on your map is 6 cm. Plan your route.

Orient the map so the north arrow points north and the path on the map lines up with the real path.
Distance: 6 cm × 50 m = 300 m in a straight line.
Route choice: going straight means crossing rough ground. Instead, use the path as a handrail: follow it until you are near the open field.
Attack point: the corner where the path is closest to the field. From there, slow down and head into the field to control 2.
Pace count: if you take 60 double paces per 100 m, the 300 m straight line would be about 180 double paces. The path route is a bit longer, so expect more.

Follow the path (handrail) to an attack point, then go carefully to the control. Straight-line distance: 300 m.

A scale bar for a 1:5 000 map (drawn larger than real size). Each centimetre on the map stands for 50 m, so the 6 cm from the start to control 2 is 300 m, or about 180 double paces.

Hands-on activity

Make your own score-O course

You need: paper, pencils, a ruler, 6 to 8 small markers (paper plates, clothespins with numbered cards, or clean recycled containers), a timer, and a grown-up to come with you to a park or schoolyard (or use your own yard).

Warm up (5 minutes): brisk walk around the area as you sketch, then easy jogging, arm circles and leg swings.

Draw a map of the area from above. Include big features: paths, fences, buildings, trees, play structures, fields. Add a north arrow and a legend.
Measure your pace count: walk 100 m on a measured path or field (or estimate with a grown-up) and count left-foot steps.
Hide controls: a grown-up or friend places 6 to 8 numbered markers at features and marks them on a copy of the map. Never on private property, in water, or near roads.
Score-O: you have 15 minutes to find as many controls as you can, in any order. Write the code word on each marker as proof.
Swap: set a course for your family.
Reflect: Which route choices worked? When did you thumb the map or use a handrail?
Cool down with an easy walk and stretches. Collect all markers and leave no trace.

Safety: Agree on boundaries and a meeting time and place. Go with a buddy. Carry a whistle (three blasts = help). Dress for the weather, bring water, and check for ticks after walking in long grass or woods.

Just for fun

Orienteering may be the only sport where asking a tree "Haven't I seen you before?" counts as a real strategy. (Big features you recognize are your best friends when you're unsure where you are.)

Your turn

Name the six components of an activity used in this lesson.

What does it mean to orient a map?

A map's scale is 1 cm = 50 m. How far is 4 cm on the ground?

What is a handrail in orienteering? Give two examples.

What is the difference between a point-to-point course and a score-O?

Give two examples of good outdoor etiquette.

What should you do if you're lost on an orienteering course?

More practice: warm-up

What do you call the points you must find in orienteering?

What does "thumbing the map" mean?

How many whistle blasts mean "help"?

On many orienteering maps, what does the colour blue show?

Name one piece of equipment for orienteering.

More practice: on your own

Your pace count is 64 double paces per 100 m. About how many double paces is 250 m?

On a 1:10 000 map, how many metres does 1 cm stand for? How far is 3.5 cm?

Explain why a longer route on a path can be faster than a shorter straight route.

Use the six components to describe cross-country skiing.

Why is an attack point useful?

Challenge

Two route choices to a control: Route A is 400 m straight through a forest, where you move at 2 m/s. Route B is 600 m along a path, where you move at 3 m/s. Which is faster, and by how much? What else should you consider?

Your map is 1:5 000. You measure 7.2 cm to the next control and your pace count is 60 double paces per 100 m. How many double paces is it?

Plan a safe score-O event for 10 students at a community park. Include rules, etiquette and at least four safety measures.

Check your understanding

Quiz

What does it mean to orient a map?

On a 1:5 000 map, 1 cm stands for:

A handrail is:

In a score-O, you:

Which is good outdoor etiquette?

You're unsure where you are. The best first step is:

For parents and teachers

Big idea: In Grade 8, students show they understand the components of a range of physical activities (rules, equipment, skills, etiquette, safety) and apply them in indoor and outdoor settings. This lesson uses orienteering as an outdoor example and reinforces taking part in a variety of activities (B1).

How to help at home:

Help your child map your yard or a local park, then hide markers for them.
Look up local orienteering clubs or conservation areas with permanent orienteering courses.
Practise map scale with a real trail map.

Common difficulties:

Not orienting the map. Keep turning the map so it matches the land.
Scale maths. 1:5 000 means 1 cm = 50 m; 1:10 000 means 1 cm = 100 m.
Panicking when lost. Practise "stop, orient, go back".

Safety: Always set boundaries, a buddy system and a meeting time. Check for ticks after time in long grass or woods.

Social-emotional learning: Route choice and problem-solving build critical and creative thinking (A1.6).