ORIENTEERING

ORIENTEERING (ESL adapted and simplified version)

The aim of Orienteering is to reach a series of checkpoints in the shortest possible time with the help of a map or to reach the most checkpoints possible within a given time.  

IF YOU ARE EAGER TO START THE ORIENTEERING ACTIVITY SCROLL DIRECTLY TO ACTIVITY 6!

Orienteering originated in Scandinavian countries and is very suitable for school projects.  It touches several curricular subjects: Language L1,  Science and Geography – study and description of environments, ability to read and use a compass, use of topographic maps; Geometry and Technical Drawing – map reading and graphic representation of maps; Social Studies – the value of FAIR PLAY: helping each other, respect for the opponent, for teammates, for the referee, for the rules;  English L2 – use of the English language to introduce and teach various topics; Physical Education.

Orienteering is based on:

• John Dewey’s educational theory of Learning by Doing 
• Total Physical Response method – students acquire words and structures through gestures and movements
• Cooperative Learning methodology – students learn in small groups and are co-responsible in helping each other while the teacher’s role is that of facilitator and organizer of the activities
• Problem solving – because Orienteering is a sport that requires physical and strategic skills as well as a sense of orientation, it is ideal for both individual and group problem solving. 

Below you can find a downloadable file of an adapted and simplified version of Orienteering as a CLIL lesson. The project is designed for a school garden or similar and is divided into different activities each of which can be a single lesson or several lessons depending on the duration of the lesson, the size of the group and the level of English proficiency of the pupils. In view of the competitive spirit of sport, the class group should be divided into at least two groups. If you decide to award points to the teams at the end of the various activities it is important to assign additional points at the end of the lesson to the team that has shown the most FAIR PLAY.

ACTIVITY  1 – Team building and trust games

Begin the first lesson by introducing yourself to the students and then play some ICE BREAKER games

https://2englishteachers.com/it/icebreakers-for-esl-classroom-language/

to help the students to get to know each other and feel at ease.

Next, divide the children into small homogenous groups in order to form small teams that will remain the same for the duration of the project. Then choose some activities from our TEAM BUILDING AND TRUST GAMES in our ESL games section of our website.

https://2englishteachers.com/it/teambuilding-and-trust-games/

These games are aimed to create a sense of belonging to the team and to create mutual trust among the teammates.

Now lets dive into the orienteering project and by beginning with a flag making activity. Each team will create a flag that represents them. The same flag will also be drawn on the badge that each pupil will wear. To stimulate their creativity show the students this file of flags with various symbols:

Examples of CLASSROOM LANGUAGE: What animal is on the California Flag? What colours are the rings on the Olympic flag?  How many stars are on the European flag?

To create the team flag the students must decide a name for their team, choose one or two colors that they will use to color their flag and lastly decide which symbols to add to complete it (stars, an animal, a logo, a sun, etc). It is important to make sure that each child on the team contributes to the creation of the flag in some way (by deciding a colour, a symbol or the name).

Examples of CLASSROOM LANGUAGE: Can you think of a team name? What color is your flag? Have you got an animal on your flag? What is it? What did you draw Mary?

Have the teams cut out their flags and attach a straw to it for the mast. 

Finally, each student must fill in a BADGE by writing their name, the name of the team and drawing the team flag in the rectangle.

ACTIVITY 2 – FAIR PLAY

Begin the lesson once again by choosing some games from our ICEBREAKERS or TEAM BUILDING AND TRUST GAMES from our ESL Games section of our website:

https://2englishteachers.com/it/icebreakers-for-esl-classroom-language/

https://2englishteachers.com/it/teambuilding-and-trust-games/

To introduce the concept of FAIR PLAY show the students some videos to help illustrate the idea.  We have selected a few but online you can find many other touching videos on the matter.

After watching the videos ask your students to brainstorm words that come to their mind when they hear about FAIR PLAY. If the English level of the class is low help them translate into English words from their L1. Possible examples could be:  

• respect of teammates, opponents, referees, coaches, officials for the rules
• working together as a team
• sharing equipment
• doing your best
• enjoying the game
• taking turns
• being considerate
• giving everyone a chance to participate
• team spirit
• solidarity
• tolerance

Finally help students make an acrostic poster using the words FAIR PLAY.  Below is an example.

Explain that fair play is an attitude.  It is trying to win in a fair and just way by being honest, doing your best and enjoying participating in the game.  It is being respectful of everyone involved, accepting the decisions of the officials and the rules.  In team sports it is showing team spirit and working together equally.  

ACTIVITY 3 – LEFT RIGHT UP DOWN and vocabulary

words related to the SCHOOL GARDEN

Begin the lesson once again by choosing some games from our ICEBREAKERS or TEAM BUILDING AND TRUST GAMES from our ESL Games section of our website:

https://2englishteachers.com/it/icebreakers-for-esl-classroom-language/

https://2englishteachers.com/it/teambuilding-and-trust-games/

Then get into the heart of the lesson with games aimed to learn  vocabulary needed for Orienteering: LEFT, RIGHT, UP, DOWN.

GUESS WHERE! – Introduce the vocabulary words by repeating them several times while indicating the correct direction with your hands. After a few minutes, ask the children to imitate you and repeat the words.

Once the vocabulary is acquired, divide the children into pairs and have each pair choose a small object from their pencil-case (an eraser, a pen cap, etc.). In turns, the children have to hide the object in one hand and then place their hands one on top of each other.  Each partner has to try to guess where the object is by pointing to the hand where he believes it is hidden while saying UP or DOWN. Repeat the game several times.

JUMP LEFT AND RIGHT – Stretch out a rope in the garden and place the kids in a row with the rope to their left side. Pupils must jump on the other side of the rope only when the teacher says LEFT and return to the starting point only when the teacher says RIGHT.

BLIND STEPS – Divide the group into teams and then into pairs. Place cones in random place between the starting line and the finish and place the flag that each team has created (see ORIENTEERING ACTIVITY 1) on the finish line. Blindfold a pupil of each pair, and position them at the starting point. By listening to the instructions of their partnerthe blindfolded student must reach the flag at the end point then they must run to the starting line to tag the next couple. The first team to complete the course is the winner.

EXAMPLES OF CLASSROOM LANGUAGE:  Go to the left and take 2 giant steps.  Go to the right and take 4 baby steps.  Take five big steps forward.  Take one small step backward.

TEACHER SAYS – Lastly the classic game of Simon Says becomes TEACHER SAYS. Teachers use their imagination and create phrases using LEFT, RIGHT, UP, DOWN, action words and body parts. Remind students that they must follow instructions carefuly only if the phrases are preceded by ‘teacher says’. The student who performs the wrong action or who performs it without being told ‘teacher says’ is eliminated from the game.

If older students are participating, the teacher can make the game more difficult by performing actions that do not correspond to the sentence being said (For example, “Teacher says touch your right foot” while the teacheractually touches theright arm instead). Instinctively students will imitate the teacher and therefore will have to pay particular attention in order not to make mistakes.

EXAMPLE OF CLASSROOM LANGUAGE – Teacher says put your left arm up.  Teacher says touch your right knee. Teacher says stomp your left foot.  Teacher says sit down. Put your chin up.  No, I’m sorry I didn’t say Teacher Says!

If the class group is made up of primary school children, the LEFT OR RIGHT worksheet can be a useful consolidation exercise.

Use the flashcards below to introduce the words related to the school garden which will later be used for Orienteering.

Once the vocabulary words are acquired, play a game similar to Pin the Tail on the Donkey but replace the ‘donkey’ with the partial image of the flashcards.

Pin the Picture GAME

To play, tape a part of the image of a flashcard to the wall and then divide the students into pairs.  Blindfold one of the two students and give him/her the missing part of the image of the flashcard that was taped to the wall. Following the directions given by their partner, the blindfolded student must try to tape the missing part of the flashcard in the correct place in order to complete the picture.  Only the direction words left, right, up, down can be used. If the words have not been fully acquired, tape the words up, down, left, right in the correct position around the flashcard on the wall to help the students. Like the other games, this one can also become a team game.

To consolidate all the vocabulary words learned so far have the students complete  the following WORD SEARCH individually or in groups.

Wordsearch School Garden

ACTIVITY 4 – PREPOSITIONS OF PLACE

and Vocabulary Review

Begin the lesson once again by choosing some games from our ICEBREAKERS or TEAM BUILDING AND TRUST GAMES from our ESL Games section of our website:

https://2englishteachers.com/it/icebreakers-for-esl-classroom-language/

https://2englishteachers.com/it/teambuilding-and-trust-games/

PASS THE HOOP in the Team Building and Trust Games is particularly useful to review the vocabulary presented in Activity 2.

To prepare the students for the ORIENTEERING race, teach or consolidate PREPOSITIONS OF PLACE. If the project is catered to younger children it may be useful to show the following video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHb4-CCif7U

Next divide the class into two teams and download one PUT IT ON worksheet below for each team. Cut the sentences of the worksheet into strips (one for each team), fold the strips in half and place them in one container per team. Prepare a set of items mentioned in the sentences for each team (a big ball, a blue cone, etc.) and place them next to the container with the folded sentences on the starting line. At the start, one student per team will, in turn, take a sentence from the container, read it aloud and do what the sentence says. Pupils who do not understand the request can ask teammates for help. The first team to do all the actions on the strips wins.

In order to consolidate words related to the SCHOOL GARDEN and prepositions of place, download the IN THE GARDEN worksheet. Distribute one sheet per team (the 4 sheets have the same sentences but are arranged in different order) and place 10 balls in the school garden following the instructions of the sentences but intentionally mistaking the position of some (for example, instead of putting a ball ON the bench you could decide to place it UNDER the bench).

On go, a student from each team must read the first sentence out loud and all the students in the team must run to touch the ball that corresponds to the sentence, observe its location, return to the starting point and decide together with the other members of the team if the sentence is TRUE or FALSE.

It’s important that the pupils take turns reading the sentences aloud so that everyone can participate in the game and that one member of each team is elected to act as secretary to write. The teacher will have the task of making sure at each turn that the marked answer is correct. The first team to complete the race and answer all questions correctly wins.

If older students are participating the teacher can make the level more advanced by asking them to correct the FALSE sentences on the back of the worksheet.

If the class group is made up of primary school children, the PREPOSITIONS OF PLACE worksheet can be a useful consolidation exercise.

ACTIVITY 5 – MAP SKILLS 

Once again begin the lesson with games from our ESL Games section of our website to help students feel at ease and to create team unity :

https://2englishteachers.com/it/icebreakers-for-esl-classroom-language/

https://2englishteachers.com/it/teambuilding-and-trust-games/

Before beginning the Orienteering activity, it is good idea to explain what cardinal points are, what a map is and how to read it. Below is a short and simplified explanation.

WHAT IS A MAP?

A map is a drawing or a representation of a place on a reduced scale, i.e. made smaller, therefore a map represents a larger place.

To read maps, conventional symbols or colors are used.  Conventional symbols are signs or drawings that represent features of the territory shown on the map. They are explained in a box on the side of the map called a map key or legend.

HOW TO READ A MAP

One way to read a map is to try to locate on it easily recognizable landmarks such as famous monuments or the town square. However, if you are in a  place without recognizable landmarks then you need to resort to the cardinal points: north, south, east, west.

Cardinal points have been determined by observing the sun. EAST is where it rises and WEST is where it sets. The point where the sun reaches its maximum height is the SOUTH and  opposite south is NORTH.

Usually, maps are oriented with north at the top of the map. When you read a map you must make sure that the northern direction of the map matches north on land. To do this, you can either read the map by observing the area around you or you can looking at the direction of the compass needle which always faces north.

If you change the direction in which you are going it is important to remember to turn the map so that north on the map continues to correspond to north on the land.  One of the ways to read a map and determine a location is by constantly holding a thumb on the map and progressively moving it as you proceed in route.

Following is a link of a fun TPR song to help students remember cardinal points:

MAKE A MAP OF THE CLASSROOM

Divide the students into teams and distribute a blank sheet of paper per team. The students will have to draw their classroom on the paper. Explain to them that instead of the sheet of paper you will use the blackboard and that it represents the classroom.  Begin by drawing the class windows and doors on it. Ask the students to do the same on their sheet of paper and then ask them to take turns drawing an object present in the classroom carefully placing it on the paper by using reference points (desks, chairs, blackboard, bookshelf, etc.).

On the blackboard, mark a red triangle (START) at the entrance door of the classroom and indicate the direction of North with an N. Now ask each team to mark Xs in 5 points of the class (or more or less points according to the number of students per team) and then number them from 1 to 5 in the order they want the points to be visited. Collect the maps made by the pupils and redistribute them randomly .

Each team member will have to start from the starting point, reach the numbered X they must go to and then return to the starting position to allow the next teammate to go.  Make sure that the students always keep the map oriented at each change of direction in order to always have in front of them the path they must follow and the spot they must reach. The objects drawn on the map must be aligned with those that the pupils see in the  classroom.  The team that finishes the race in the shortest possible time is the winner.

IN THE GYM

Position various gym equipment to create two identical courses, one in each half of the court. Draw a map of the course (or download the one below) and distribute a copy of it to each team. Reading the map, each student must complete the course and then return to the starting point to give the map to the next partner in the race. If the students are young, show them how to complete the course before beginning the race but if they are older ask them to wait their turn with their backs to the course so that on their turn they must read the map and not go on memory. The winner is the first team that finishes the course in the shortest amount of time.

Next distribute the map of the previous exercise to each student but this time without the marked course. Ask each pupil to think of a course and mark it on their map.   Then divide the class into pairs and tell the students to exchange maps.  In turn the pairs must  complete the course mapped out by their partner and check each other’s work to make sure it is done correctly.

Here’s a fun game on the topic to play in the gym.

BLIND MICE

Before beginning the game review the vocabulary words LEFT, RIGHT, FORWARD, BACKWARD, STEPS, BIG, SMALL.  Divide the students in pairs and put the pairs randomly on the perimeter lines of the gym.  Place cones in the center of the gym as obstacles.  Then assign one student from each pair the role of leader and ask the other to keep their eyes closed at all times (or blindfold them).  The aim of the game is for the leader to guide their partner across the gym without bumping into an obstacle or into other students. 

EXAMPLES OF CLASSROOM LANGUAGE: take 3 steps forward, take 4 small steps to the right, etc

Other map reading activities here:

GEOGRAPHY AND MAP READING

ACTIVITY 6 – ORIENTEERING

Explain to the students that they will be doing a simplified version of Orienteering and that the aim of the competition is not only to cover a route as quickly as possible but also to  carry out activities in English along each step using the knowledge acquired and collaborating with teammates.  Most importantly, remind them to practice Fair Play at all times.

To help pupils better understand what Orienteering is, show them the following short British Orienteering videos:

The British Orienteering website offers a free package called Tri-O which offers a variety of fun activities with the aim of encouraging team play. They have been designed to be used in a simplified Orienteering competition:

https://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/images/uploaded/downloads/schools_tri_o_resources.pdf

Below is an example of Orienteering designed using part of the Tri-O material but integrated with activities aimed on the language aspect as well as the sports one. The team that completes the race first is the winner. Some of the activities that will be carried out have been previously proposed in the project so the pupils should be able to easily perform the tasks without particular explanations from the teacher.

To begin with, the group must be divided into teams and it would be best to have a teacher assigned to each team or ideally each activity.

On pages 33-37 you can find the 10 numbers to be used as signs for each station/activity. After having printed them, place them in clear view and in no particular order in different areas of the garden or park where the competition will take place. Then distribute a map of the location to each team. Below is an example of a map with key of a school garden.

Remember to write the numbers of the stations on each map based on where they have been positioned and the order in which each team will have to visit them in order to have the activities performed at different times by each team.

Before the race, prepare the material you need to complete the activities and place it in the various stations.

STATION 1  

Divide the team into 2 groups and distribute Happy Harry’s map to one team and Sad Sam’s map to another (page 8 and 9). Looking at the maps, the two groups will have to recreate the faces as quickly as possible using the hula hoop and the rest of the material they have available.

ENGLISH: Give the children a list of tongue twisters (see download below) and explain that each team member will have to recite or read one of their choice. Each student must choose one, indicate it to the teacher who will read it to the student 3 times and then the pupil will have to repeat it alone. Depending on the student’s level of English, he or she may be asked to recite it slowly or faster.

STATION 2 

Place the students in a row behind the starting line and give the first first one the course map (p. 16). In turn, each team member will have to cover the course correctly as quickly as possible and then return to the starting point to give the map to the next teammate in line.

ENGLISH: Give the students the list below and explain to them that they will have to read it, understand it and carry out the assignment by working together and helping each other.

STATION 3

To complete this activity students must complete the course three times: jumping with both feet together, only on the left foot, only on the right foot (page 30).

ENGLISH: Based on the English level of your students, download one of the two worksheets below. Divided into their teams, pupils will have to find the solution of the riddles by working and cooperating together.

STATION 4

Place the cones on the ground as illustrated in the cards.  Show the students the Demo Course on p. 41 and ask them to observe carefully as you follow the course shown on the card. Then place the pupils in a row and distribute a different map to each child (p. 42-44). Each student must follow the map starting from the triangle and arriving at the circle as quickly as possible.

ENGLISH: In this activity the teams will have to run to their classrooms, look for and then write in English the name of an object suitable for the request of the worksheet in the download below.

STATION 5

Before starting, laminate a copy of the map of the garden or park where the competition will take place and then cut it into uneven pieces in the shape of puzzle pieces. At this station each team will have to put the map back together before they can move on to the next activity.

ENGLISH: Each team will have to complete the word search that you can download below. To make sure that there is team cooperation and that everyone takes part in the activity, you can create subgroups that will have to search for the words.  The first ones to find all the words can then show the other subgroups of their team where they are located.

STATION 6 

Before the competition starts, print and possibly laminate the flashcards IN THE GARDEN from the download below. Line up the students behind a line and place at a safe distance a container or a bucket.  In this activity, the students must in turn say the correct word in English corresponding to the flashcard the teacher holds up and then throw a Beanbag  in the bucket.  After all the students have had a go, the pupils who have not said the correct word or have not made the ‘basket’ will have to repeat the exercise or those same pupils can ask a classmate to repeat it for them. The team will be able to move on to the next activity only when the exercise has been carried out correctly the number of times that corresponds to the number of team members.

STATION 7

PUT IT ON – Divide the class into two teams. Cut the sentences into strips (one for each team), fold the strips in half and place them in one container per team. Prepare a set of items mentioned in the sentences for each team (a big ball, a blue cone, etc.) and place them next to the container with the folded sentences on the starting line. At the start, one student per team will, in turn, take a sentence from the container, read it aloud and do what the sentence says. Pupils who do not understand the request can ask teammates for help. The first team to do all the actions on the strips wins.

STATION 8

IN THE GARDEN True or False – The next game aims to consolidate words related to the school garden and the prepositions of place. Distribute one sheet per team (the 4 sheets have the same sentences but are arranged in different order) and place 10 balls in the school garden following the instructions of the sentences but intentionally mistaking the position of some (for example, instead of putting a ball ON the bench you could decide to place it UNDER the bench).

On go, a student from each team must read the first sentence out loud and all the students in the team must run to touch the ball that corresponds to the sentence, observe its location, return to the starting point and decide together with the other members of the team if the sentence is TRUE or FALSE. It is important that the pupils take turns reading the sentences aloud so that everyone can participate in the game and that one member of each team is elected to act as secretary to write. The teacher will have the task of making sure at each turn that the marked answer is correct. The first team to complete the race and answer all questions correctly wins. If older students are participating the teacher can make the level more advanced by asking them to correct the FALSE sentences on the back of the sheet.

STATION 9

In this station, working in pairs, all team members must complete the physical exercises while telling their partner the English words requested on the cards below. Remind students the concept of fair play and ask the students to check that their partner carries out the exercise correctly. The team can proceed with the race only when everyone has finished the exercises.

STATION 10

UNSCRAMBLE THE SENTENCES – Before the game starts, print the pdf below or prepare new sentences that have at least one word per number of children per team (e.g. in a team of 7 children you could use the phrase ‘I like bread with jam for breakfast ‘.) Cut the words from each sentence, mix them and place one sentence in each container. Have the pupils stand behind the starting line in single file and the numbered containers at a designated finish line .

On go, one student at a time must run to the first container, take a word and bring it back to their classmates. The next student in line will do the same until the words are finished in that container. The pupils at the starting line will be placing the words in the correct order and once the sentence has been formed, they must read the sentence to the teacher. If the sentence is correct the students can continue with the second sentence until all the sentences are completed.