# Introduction: Elementary School O Lessons

_If you are looking for the at-home orienteering lessons, suitable for use during the pandemic, please start_ [_here_](../at-home-intro)_._

Orienteering is a running and navigation sport in which competitors travel through terrain to visit checkpoints marked on a map. Orienteering is great for kids because it develops their physical abilities (speed, agility), mental abilities (map navigation, critical thinking), and provides an opportunity for outdoor play. Our lesson plans also emphasize teamwork, roles (and responsibilities), helping each other learn, safety, and obtaining consent. Please see the section “About these lessons” for more background on our approach.&#x20;

These lesson plans were prepared for Cambridge Public School PE teachers in March, 2019. We will pilot the lessons in the spring of 2019 and update them, with a goal of publication in the summer of 2019. This work is a collaboration between Cambridge Public Schools and Navigation Games, a Cambridge MA 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to bringing orienteering to children.

Note that Lessons 1 and 4 can all be adapted for use indoors, and there is an indoor alternative to Lesson 4.

Update January 2023: we are in the process of updating these lessons.

## Summary Table

| **Lesson**                               | **Set Up**                                                                                     | **Materials**                                                                                                                                       | **Activities**                                                                                                                                                                   |
| ---------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 1: Boundary & Geometric Animal-O         | <p>10-15 min: place checkpoints &#x26; poly spots</p><p>Optional: prepare timing equipment</p> | <p>Animal cones</p><p>Geometric Animal-O maps</p><p>Animal Stickers</p><p>Large whiteboard &#x26; markers</p><p>Handouts</p><p>Timing Equipment</p> | <p>Boundary</p><p>Animal-O (on Geom-O pattern)</p><p>Fix map drawn on whiteboard</p><p>Geometric Animal-O</p><p>Place cones drawn on whiteboard</p><p>HW: Match cones to map</p> |
| 2: Animal-O & Isometric Map Introduction | <p>10-15 min: place checkpoints</p><p>Optional: prepare timing equipment</p>                   | <p>Animal-O supplies</p><p>Large isometric map</p><p>Handouts</p><p>Timing Equipment</p>                                                            | <p>Find Fast</p><p>Animal-O</p><p>Isometric Map Discussion</p><p>Feature Sprints</p><p>Checkpoint Collection</p><p>HW: Isometric map drawing</p>                                 |
| 3: Orienteering with an Isometric Map    | <p>10-15 min: place checkpoints</p><p>Optional: prepare timing equipment</p>                   | <p>Controls</p><p>Isometric courses</p><p>Large isometric map &#x26; orienteering map</p><p>Handouts</p><p>Timing Equipment</p>                     | <p>Find Fast</p><p>Courses on Isometric Map</p><p>Introduce orienteering map</p><p>HW: Compare isometric map to orienteering map </p>                                            |
| 4: Orienteering with an Orienteering map | <p>10-15 min: place checkpoints</p><p>Optional: prepare timing equipment</p>                   | <p>Controls</p><p>Large isometric map &#x26; orienteering map</p><p>Orienteering courses</p><p>Handouts</p><p>Timing Equipment</p>                  | <p>Find Fast</p><p>Map Compare</p><p>Orienteering Courses</p><p>HW: draw your own map</p>                                                                                        |

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