The first letter of each word is the same as the cardinal direction that it represents. When doing physical activities with the cardinal directions, check to make sure that students do not equate north with "up" or south with "down.". One of the most fundamental orientation skills involves understanding the cardinal directions. Teaching children (or anybody that wants to learn cardinal directions) can be made easy through to use of mnemonics. Washington, DC 20036, National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. Elementary students can understand cardinal directions when they learn about them in a kid-friendly way. Have students think about differences in temperature depending on where people live. The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. These two components are important for navigating. Terms of Service |  To know where places are in relation to one another, people use a system for telling direction. Kim Hulse, National Geographic Society, Alice Manning, National Geographic Society National Geographic Headquarters Explain to students that the Earth is cold at both ends—the North Pole and South Pole—and hot in the middle at the Equator. For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. Spatial awareness involves an understanding of space: is the tree in front or behind the boulder? Discuss differences in temperature due to location. Because the Earth rotates from west to east, the sun appears to rise in the east and set in the west. Students learn how to use a geographic perspective by asking where and what as they explore the concepts of location and place with their classroom and school. Spatial awareness is the ability to understand objects in space and your own personal position relative to those features. Using a globe or one of the large maps of the Americas from the Americas MapMaker Kit, point out north, south, east and west. Sustainability Policy |  Then have students describe the location of objects in the classroom in terms of their direction. If you have questions about licensing content on this page, please contact ngimagecollection@natgeo.com for more information and to obtain a license. Point out the Equator and the North Pole on the Americas Mega Map. The four cardinal directions are north, south, east and west. This is a compass on a map of San Luis Obispo California. These directions use the rising and setting of the sun as reference points. The order of the words mimics the order in which the cardinal directions appear on a compass: North, South, East, and West. Before starting this activity, assemble the Americas Mega Map. Laure Hunter, Carol A. Gersmehl, Co-Coordinator of the New York Geographic Alliance, Associate Director of the New York Center for Geographic Learning in the Geography Department at Hunter College, CUNY The four cardinal directions are north, south, east and west. The Poles, North and South, also provide directional reference points. If possible, have students use a compass to practice locating the cardinal directions north, south, east, and west. This cardinal directions printable worksheet will enchant your child as they use the compass rose to learn how to tell the difference between north, south, east, and west! Cardinal directions are one set of directions that people around the world use. Cardinal directions are the four main points of a compass and are: north, east, south, and west. Caitlin Dempsey | October 22, 2020January 21, 2017 | Geography for Kids. Early geography education involves teaching children spatial awareness. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. What is a Mnemonic? Fantasy Geopolitics: The Gamification of Geography, New “Map Projections for Babies” Board Book Helps Encourage Early Communication and Learning, Study Finds Staggering Decline in Marine Fishery Biomass, The Only Metric Highway in the United States, Cardinal Directions and Ordinal Directions, Relative Direction Versus Compass Direction. She or he will best know the preferred format. 1145 17th Street NW These directions use the rising and setting of the sun as reference points. The mnemonic is “Never Eat Soggy Waffles.”. Sharon L. Barry Code of Ethics. © 1996 - 2020 National Geographic Society. A mnemonic is a strategy of making memorization easier through the use of letters, words, or ideas. Teaching children (or anybody that wants to learn cardinal directions) can be made easy through to use of mnemonics. They use a compass rose to help describe locations of places on a world map. Cardinal directions are the four main points of a compass and are: north, east, south, and west. All rights reserved. Show students a globe, pointing out the cardinal directions, the Poles, and the Equator. 3. Spatial awareness also involves an understanding of movement: are you walking towards or away from the mountain? To learn the cardinal directions and the order in which they appear on a compass, the following mnemonic is effective. At each place, have students turn to show what direction that place is from the classroom—north, south, east, or west. Play an adaptation of the game “Simon Says.”Simon says: This activity targets the following skills: The resources are also available at the top of the page. Have students use a compass to practice finding the cardinal directions. fixed point that, along with the South Pole, forms the axis on which the Earth spins. Ask: 6. To teach kids cardinal directions, explain the relationship between the four directions and then let the kids explore find their way around using those directions. Extend the concept outside of the classroom by walking to different places in the school. How far is the tree from the boulder? fixed point that, along with the North Pole, forms the axis on which the Earth spins. You cannot download interactives. This worksheet is designed to: • Keep your learner engaged with a fun vampire theme • Introduce the compass rose and how to read it • Offer valuable practice with cardinal directions Gesture to indicate where the South Pole (not shown) would be on the map. With students, walk to different places in the school, such as the cafeteria, playground, or gymnasium. Privacy Notice |  If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. Then they discuss differences in temperature due to location. When you reach out to him or her, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource. Students learn to identify cardinal directions using their own classroom, other locations in and near school, and maps and globes. Explain to students that the directions extend beyond the four walls of the classroom. Ask them to imagine their bodies represent a globe with the North Pole at their head and the South Pole at their feet. Ask: Why would the students' clothes be so different on the same day? Christina Riska Simmons, Mary C. Cahill, Middle School Science Coordinator, The Potomac School, McLean, VA