How do I use a compass again?

ORIENTEERING

Regardless of the time of year, orienteering remains one of the most popular activities conducted at McQueen Lake.

MAIN ACTIVITIES

• Main Orienteering Course Level III Difficulty
  
• McQueen Compass Course Level II Difficulty
  
• Griffin Lk Map Reading Course Level I Difficulty
  
• Search And Rescue Activity Range Of Difficulty Levels
  

MAIN COURSE

Important Safety Considerations

• If you have never done orienteering with a class, it is best to use the assistance of the McQueen Lake resource teacher.
• Conduct the activity within the recommended course boundaries only.
• All groups must have a whistle, watch, and be properly dressed for the conditions.
• Group members NEVER split up.
• If lost the group stays put.
• It is far more important to be back on time than to complete the course.
• Groups will employ a 'sign-out' and 'check-in' system to keep track of every individual and ensure that they are all accounted for at the end of the session by using this method.
• Group members must know the boudaries that they are to never cross: Isobel Lake road, lakes, fence. If they remember nothing else, this is the most important knowledge any group can have. If they don't cross these boundaries, they're really not lost.

Boundaries

Unless group members have orienteering experience, it is strongly recommended that groups use our course routes. These course routes will stay within easily identifiable boundaries. Again, these are: Isobel Lake road, lakes, fence. Constructing your own routes outside of these boundaries is an activity that is taken at your own risk, as it does not offer near the level of containment.

Supplies and Equipment

• Compasses and whistles are supplied at McQueen Lake. If your group is large, it is important to talk to the resource teacher so that s/he can get more for you if needed. Generally, there are 35 compasses ready for use. Please be aware that the cost of replacing lost compasses will be billed to the school using the centre.
• The laminated maps are in the teacher's cabinet in the lodge along with the course and sign-in/out sheets.
• FRS radios are available, ask the caretaker for assistance.

Friendly Reminders

• Please place the compass strings around the wrist (the one you don't write with), they're slippery and don't do well when dropped.
• Collect compasses and whistles as soon as a group returns to check back in.

  MCQUEEN COMPASS COURSE

  The compass course offers the challenge of using a compass without the added complexities of taking a bearing off a map. This course, which starts by the old stump beside the entrance to the lodge, takes one along one bearing at a time. The course, which is in English and French, consists of posted signs instructing the student to set their compass for a certain bearing and to walk so many meters in that direction. Each new sign will give the participant a word clue which is later rearranged to for a meaningful (somewhat) sentence.

  Download/View the compass course sheet here.

  

  GRIFFIN LK MAP READING COURSE

  Students walk the Orange Trail around Griffin Lake trying to find the cards located at the points numbered on the map. Students must relate the basic features portrayed on the map to what is around them to find the clue cards. Each card will have a word on it which will form a sentence when unscrambled at the end. The activity involves keeping score as explained on the sheet itself, but this is optional.

  The map reading course around Griffin Lake can be utilized in a couple of different ways:

  • It offers an introductory level orienteering activity which focusses mainly on simple orientation.
  • As an activity done early on the first day, it offers a way by which to simply get the students out hiking to burn off some steam.
  

  SEARCH AND RESCUE

  This is a fun activity that introduces students to coordinate systems used to navigate or plot locations on a map. The map and coordinate system that the students use is simplified, but is conceptually identical to systems used in real-world applications.

  Students are given a brief lesson (explained in the activity sheets), divided into groups of 5-8, and are then given the challenge of finding a lost camper (don't worry it's made of wood) after determining their coordinates from a set of clues, riddles, or questions.

  This activity strongly focusses on:
  

  • communication skills
  • problem solving
  • improving spatial awareness
  • number concepts, geometry
  • and self-discipline

  Students are still encouraged to use a compass, but also rely on geographical features or other landmarks to accomplish their task.

  Download/View the activity information here.

  

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