Pinpoint Your Position
Science at Home
Arizona Science Center and #SariOnScience are here to be your resource for bringing science to life at home. From crafts to experiments, we’re here to be your resource for fun science activities that spark curiosity and motivate learning! Materials are easy to find, most activities take an hour or less, and the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning is limitless.
Target grade level(s): 3rd - 5th
Pinpoint Your Position Activity
Next time you go out on a hike, bring this activity along with you! Learn about how to find your bearings using a map and supplies you might have at home. Do you have a Global Positioning System (GPS) at home? Your GPS calculates the distance between signals it receives from satellites in space. How is this activity similar or different to how a GPS finds your location.
Supplies
One (1) Map of your area
One (1) Compass
One (1) Protractor
One (1) Ruler
One (1) Pencil
How-To
1. Look at an object that you can see on your map. A mountain or park works great!
2. Point your compass north and read off the angle that points toward your object.
3. This is the object bearing from where you are standing.
4. Now on the map, draw a line that runs through the object at the same angle to north as the bearing you took. The top of the map is usually north.
5. Repeat this for a different object like another mountain or lake.
6. Where the two lines cross on the map is your location!
