Years ago when I was working as an Environmental Educator, a favorite activity chosen by groups was Orienteering, a map-and-compass class which was a hands-on adventure in navigation. Teachers would request this class because although students usually didn't have a clue what orienteering even was, the adults knew that it was an important, classic skill that would benefit the kids in many ways. After a brief orientation, armed with a map and accompanied by their Educator guide, small groups of kids would rush out of the lodge with excitement, set free to explore and discover what was waiting for them in the woods. They were on a sharp lookout for "control points": the orange and white flags which serve as traditional markings on an Orienteering cross-country course. Either the challenge itself or the competition with their classmates was sufficient motivation for most kids to focus and to strive for success, presenting a perfect scorecard at the finish.

During the introductory orientation of the activity, we would explain what "Orienteering" was: a method of navigating on land using a topographical map and a compass. We might discuss the sport of Orienteering, which has quite a contingent especially in countries like Sweden, and encourage kids to check into local clubs for further competitive opportunities. In looking at some examples of topographical maps, we would touch on the importance of contour lines, different colors on a map, and types of roads and trails. We would of course show the kids the basic skill of orienting a map (turning the map so that North on the Compass Rose lines up with true North on the compass). I say "basic" but honestly it's a skill that many adults are unfamiliar with, given the fact that most of us simply listen to our GPS tell us when and where to turn these days.

One of the most memorable things that we shared with the kids was an illustration of how important it is to be following an updated, current, accurate map of your area. The topographical map we were teaching from was a USGS quadrangle of a section of the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. There was a small blue oval within the bottom half of the map- the only body of water represented aside from numerous creeks and the river. But I explained to the kids that if they tried to go find that small lake for a swim on a hot summer day or to cast a fishing line in hopes of a bite, they would be frustrated and disappointed...because the lake was no longer there. "Now how does a lake disappear?" I would ask. "It dried up!" they would respond. I would be reminded of a tall tale I once heard about a large flock of ducks that landed on a small pond on a very cold winter day. By nightfall the water had turned to ice, and when the flock flew away they took the pond with them. "But that's not what happened!" I would say. I would explain the simple fact that the manmade lake had a manmade dam which raised concern with its instability, therefore the lake was drained to avoid any sudden flooding that would occur if the dam was to fail. The point of the story was that the map was definitely not current or accurate. It was in fact a few decades old, as the USGS maps are updated on specific timelines and not just when changes occur to the topography.

Whether the kids remembered any of the details about the map legend or the contour intervals I don't know, but I do think they left with solid memories of the importance of accuracy, focus and patience when navigating around unfamiliar territory. A few moments spent in double-checking a direction or a second look at a specific location on the map could save precious minutes of time in the countdown to the finish line. It was fun to feel the anticipation along with them and watch them process new skills through experiential learning.

Getting your bearings in the woods, with proper tools and guidance, can be invigorating, exciting, great team-building, and a confidence booster for those of us who might feel helpless when our GPS batteries die, or we go out of cell service. With resources that don't fail, we can have faith that we will find our way!