Since ancient times, rough maps of the Earth and simple compasses have guided explorers, warriors, and pioneers like Lewis and Clark, Marco Polo, Christopher Columbus, and Amelia Earhart. Often, their skills with map and compass were all that kept these men and women from disaster. What has been a vital skill for humans for thousands of years is now a sport – orienteering.
By definition, orienteering is a cross-country race in which participants use a highly detailed map and a compass to navigate their way between checkpoints along an unfamiliar course.
COURSE ORGANIZATION
Prior to the course, students will be provided a course agenda, course goal and objectives, list of required items to bring, and recommended prerequisites.
This course will be taught as 3 distinct lessons, typically Sat AM, Sat pm, Sun AM.
This course is designed to run over two (2) days. Starting and ending times may be flexible, but generally the course will start at 9:30 am and be completed about 4:30 pm on Saturday. The Sunday schedule will be 1.5 to 2.0 hours – starting at 9:30 am.
The groups should also abide by the Outdoor Code: As an American, I will do my best to – Be
Clean in my outdoor manners, Be Careful with fire, Be
Considerate in the outdoors, and Be
conservation-minded.
Participants are given worksheets on which to record answers and write reports on activities in which they participate.
The following lessons are included in the course:
1) The instructor asks the students what orienteering is. Discuss map and compass vs. orienteering. Students write observations and answers on the worksheet.
2) The instructor asks the students what type of
injuries could occur while orienteering.
They then discuss first aid for these injuries. The answers are recorded on their
worksheets. Examples include cuts,
scratches, blister, snakebite, insect stings, tick bites, heat and cold
reactions (sunburn, heatstroke, heat exhaustion, hypothermia), and
dehydration. The students are also asked
why you should be able to identify poisonous plants and poisonous animals that
are found in your area.
3) Instructor, with the help of the students, sets up a 100 yard course. The students count their steps while walking the course. They also keep track of the time to walk the course. Then the students jog, at a sustainable pace, the 100 yards, counting their steps and keeping track of the time. They record these and calculate the distance traveled in each step. Explain why it might be important to know both walking and running pace as it relates to orienteering.
4) The instructor:
a. Explains how a compass works. Describe the features of an orienteering compass and their uses
b. Shows how to take a compass bearing and how to follow one.
The students
then write the answers on their worksheet.
Then using the information, they demonstrate
their knowledge by determining
the heading of various landmarks determined by the instructor.
5) The students divide into groups of 4-6. They then work as a team to complete short orienteering course using details of distance and compass headings. The course can be completed without a map using the compass skills learned above and their pace as learned earlier. Write a short report about the course and how your team might have improved their performance.
6) The instructor:
a. Explains how a topographic map shows terrain features. The students point out and name five major terrain features on a topographic map of Birch Bend camp.
b.
The students discuss what else is shown on a
topographic map. They then point out and
name 10 symbols on the topographic map of Birch Bend.
c.
The instructor shows another more detailed
topographic map as an example of what is sometimes given at an orienteering
event.
7) The instructor asks the students to explain the meaning of declination. The instructor uses drawings of to illustrate why there is declination. The instructor asks the students to explain why declination must be taken into consideration when using a map and compass together. The instructor uses a map of North America and vacation examples to help demonstrate the importance of declination, but also why it does not come up much in Minnesota.
8) Break for lunch
9) The instructor asks the students to orient the Birch Bend topographic map with magnetic north-south lines and a compass. The students then demonstrate how to measure distances on a map using an orienteering compass.
10) The instructor discusses different types of orienteering events and courses. The students then again break into groups of 4-6. Each group then completes an orienteering course keeping track of their times. Each group leaves at staggered times and uses the Birch Bend topographic map and a control sheet for marking their progress. Upon completion of the course, the students write a short report about the course, how they performed, and how they could improve their performance.
11) The instructor hands out a list of common international control symbols and shows how they might apply to features on an orienteering or topographic map. The students then record and identify 20 international control description symbols on their worksheets and write the meaning of each symbol. The instructor then shows a control description sheet and explains the information provided.
12) The students discuss the following terms and tell when you would use them: attack point, collecting feature, aiming off, contouring, reading ahead, handrail, relocation, rough versus fine orienteering. The answers and comments are recorded on their worksheets.
13) The students divide into their groups of 4-6 again. Using the control symbols and maps of Birch Bend and control point stamps, each group designs an orienteering course. Either a cross country 2000 meter course, or a 12 control point, 60 minute, score orienteering course.
14) The groups exchange orienteering courses. Then the groups complete the course designed and run by the other group. Upon completion of the course, each student writes a short report on the course, their performance and how they could improve their performance on the worksheets. Assign course administrative roles to members of your group in running the course. Set up, timing, course judges etc.
15) Teach orienteering techniques to other members of your youth group. Show someone an orienteering compass, how it works, how to take a compass heading and how to orient a map. Teach or discuss what features and symbols might be found on a topographic map.
CLASS SIZE
· The ideal class size is 10 - 15 students per course.
· The maximum class size is 25 students.
There is NO minimum number of students for this course
PROFESSORS
The following are Professors for the Orienteering course:
¨ Professor Darrell Charboneau
¨ Associate Professor Jean Keller
¨ Associate Professor
¨ Associate Professor
To join the staff, please contact one of the professors, or Dean Bob Nelson. Professors must be registered leaders or scouts and a registered counselor for this merit badge with the council. Anyone may be an assistant professor.
3.0 TARGET STUDENTS For Completing the BSA Merit Badge
Scouts taking
this Orienteering course shall have a minimum rank of Second Class or
higher. Additionally, it is strongly
recommended that the scouts have already completed their First Aid requirements
of the First Class rank.
The
merit badge cannot usually be accomplished in one weekend at Birch Bend. Typically, about 2/3 of the requirements may
be completed if troops wish to leave around noon on Sunday. However, if the scouts are a little older and
are focused, the merit badge can be (and has been) completed in one weekend.
MERIT BADGE
REQUIREMENTS
The
requirements for this merit badge (as of 2003) are listed below. The requirement numbering is used
consistently throughout this Professor’s guide.
1) Show that you know first aid for the types of injuries that could occur while orienteering, including cuts, scratches, blister, snakebite, insect stings, tick bites, heat and cold reactions (sunburn, heatstroke, heat exhaustion, hypothermia), and dehydration. Explain to your counselor why you should be able to identify poisonous plants and poisonous animals that are found in your area.
2) Explain what orienteering is.
3) Do the
following:
c. Explain how a compass works. Describe the features of an orienteering compass and their uses
d. In the field, show how to take a compass bearing and how to follow one.
4) Do the following:
d. Explain how a topographic map shows terrain features. Point out and name five major terrain features on a map and in the field.
e.
Point out and name 10 symbols on a topographic map.
f. Explain the meaning of declination. Tell why declination must be taken into consideration when using a map and compass together.
g. Show a topographic map with magnetic north-south lines.
h. Show how to measure distances on a map using an orienteering compass.
i. Show how to orient a map using a compass.
5) Set up a 100-meter pace course. Determine your walking and running pace for 100 meters. Tell why it is important to pace-count.
6) Do the
following:
a. Identify
20 international control description symbols.
Tell the meaning of each symbol.
b. Show a control description sheet and explain the information provided.
c. Explain the following terms and tell when you would use them: attack point, collecting feature, aiming off, contouring, reading ahead, handrail, relocation, and rough versus fine orienteering.
7) Do the following:
a. Take part in three orienteering events. One of these must be a cross-country course.
b. After each course, write a report with:
1) A copy of the master map and control description sheet.
2) A copy of the route you took on the course.
3) A discussion of how you could improve your time between points, and
4) List of your major weaknesses on this course. Describe what you could do to improve.
8) Do ONE of the following:
a. Set up a cross-country course of at least 2,000 meters long with five control markers. Prepare the master map. Mark the descriptive clues.
b. Set up a score-orienteering course with 12 points and a time limit of 60 minutes. Prepare the master map. Set the descriptive clues and point value for each control on this course.
9) Act as an official during an orienteering event. (This may be during the running of the course you set up for requirement 8.)
10) Teach orienteering techniques to your patrol, troop or crew.