Lesson 7 - Navigation and Map Reading Skills
Team Resilience & Problem Solving
•Year 5
•Outdoor Adventurous Activities
•Start Planning Better PE Lessons
Sign up free to access 3 complete units per month, unlimited activity library, and your personal locker.
What's included
- Complete activity instructions & timing
- Teaching tips & differentiation strategies
- Assessment guidance & success criteria
- Downloadable lessons & units
How can we use maps and compass directions to navigate efficiently and work as an effective team?
Learning Objectives
- To develop navigational skills and map reading ability
- To work effectively with a partner to complete an orienteering course
- To understand cardinal directions and map orientation
Key Outcomes
- Students will navigate around a course using a map with increasing confidence
- Students will demonstrate effective partnership working and communication
- Students will understand how to orientate a map to match their surroundings
Equipment & Resources Required
Place at netball court markings with number clues underneath
Alternative: Markers, posts, or distinctive objects
One per pair for recording answers
Alternative: Pens, clipboards with attached pencils
Simplified map showing cone positions and cardinal directions
Alternative: Laminated versions for weather protection
Space for recording sums found at each cone
Alternative: Clipboards with recording sheets
Different sequences of cones to visit
Alternative: Different coloured cards for different difficulty levels
Key Vocabulary
To position a map so that it matches the real world around you
The four main compass directions: North, East, South, West
The skill of finding your way from one place to another using maps and compass
A planned path from one location to another
A compass direction expressed as an angle from North
Skill Progression Pathway
Understanding where pupils are coming from and where they're going
Prior Learning
- Basic understanding of directions (left, right, forwards, backwards)
- Ability to work cooperatively with others
- Basic map reading skills from geography lessons
Current Skills
- Map orientation using cardinal directions
- Navigation using maps and landmarks
- Effective partnership communication
- Problem-solving in outdoor environments
Next Steps
- Advanced orienteering with compass bearings
- Route planning and time estimation
- Leading orienteering activities for younger students
Milestone Indicators
Key Teaching Points
- Map orientation is fundamental - always turn the map to match the real world
- Effective partnerships require shared roles and clear communication
- Cardinal directions are fixed reference points that never change
- Navigation accuracy improves with systematic approach and regular checking
- Problem-solving combines map reading skills with mathematical thinking
- Teamwork impacts performance - cooperation leads to better results
- Orienteering develops both physical and cognitive skills simultaneously
Common Misconceptions
- Thinking you turn your body instead of the map for orientation - teach map rotation instead
- Believing East and West swap depending on direction faced - emphasise cardinal directions are fixed
- Assuming navigation is only about reading maps - highlight importance of partnership communication
- Thinking speed is more important than accuracy - promote systematic, careful navigation
- Believing one person should do all navigation - emphasise shared responsibility benefits
SEN Adaptations
ADHD
- Shorter route segments with regular checking points, clear partnership structures, fidget tools available during reflection
dyspraxia
- Simplified maps with clear visual markers, extended time for orientation activities, step-by-step navigation prompts
autism spectrum
- Clear visual schedules for orienteering sequence, defined boundaries and predictable routines, quiet zones available
visual impairment
- Large print maps with high contrast, verbal descriptions of cone positions, tactile markers at cone positions
hearing impairment
- Visual demonstrations of all instructions, written route cards with clear diagrams, hand signals for communication
physical disability
- Modified routes with shorter distances, seated navigation activities, adapted recording methods
Cross-Curricular Links
Science
Problem-solving approaches, systematic investigation methods, recording and analysing data
Geography
Understanding cardinal directions, map reading skills, spatial awareness and orientation
Teacher Guidance
Positioning
Central position allowing oversight of entire course, moving strategically to support pairs
Observation Focus
Navigation accuracy, partnership cooperation, safety during movement, map orientation technique
Intervention Points
When students struggle with map orientation, when partnerships become uncooperative, when navigation becomes inaccurate
Demonstration Notes
Demonstrate: Show clear map orientation technique, model effective partnership communication, illustrate route planning strategies
Verbal Cues
- •'Orientate your map to match what you see!'
- •'Share the navigation roles with your partner!'
- •'Use the cone positions to help you navigate!'
Safety Considerations
Space & Surface Requirements
Space Requirements
Netball court or equivalent space minimum 30m x 15m, clear sight lines throughout
Surface Check
Even surface free from holes, wet patches, or debris that could cause slips
Equipment Safety
Safety Checks
- •Cones securely positioned and visible
- •No sharp edges on equipment
- •Pencils stored safely when not in use
Risk Management
Key Risks
- •Collisions between pairs moving around course
- •Trips over equipment or course markings
- •Getting lost or confused about course boundaries
Risk Mitigation
- •Clear course boundaries established and communicated
- •Adequate spacing between cones for safe movement
- •Teacher supervision with clear sight lines across course
- •Students briefed on safe movement patterns
Supervision & Emergency Procedures
Supervision Points
- •Position for maximum visibility of entire course
- •Monitor pair movements for safety
- •Check equipment remains secure throughout lesson
Emergency Procedures
Standard school procedures for first aid, with teacher maintaining overview of all students and clear access routes