Dear (student's name),

Your field trip with Miss Frizzle to Acadia National Park has gone adrift. Now your boat is floating aimlessly somewhere in Frenchman's Bay. Miss Frizzle is worried that if you travel aimlessly much longer, the boat will run out of fuel and your class will be blown out to sea.

It is up to you to navigate the way back to your school in Belfast, ME. Your enthusiasm, creativity and orienteering skills make you the perfect candidate for the job.

There is a compass on board pointing Southeast. You know you have been heading that way for 15 minutes. Your classmates have been watching the time since your boat broke away from the dock. Miss Frizzle reminds you that you will be so late in getting back that the class will have to walk home in the dark.

"Which way should we head once we make it to land?", Miss Frizzle asks the class.

Miss Frizzle thinks that you need to use your knowledge of navigation techniques to find the way home. To tackle the basic problems of direction finding and map reading, you must interpret six different signs that surround you on your journey home. Remember, you must get the class back to the school, over sea and land.

Activity: Your mission is to guide the class safely back to the Troy Howard Middle School. Miss Frizzle has requested that you take notes and draw diagrams of all your ideas and solutions to getting the class back safely. Hint-use the map and compass rose to help you find your way back to school.

Extension Activity: Once you have figured out the way back, write about the adventure you have in getting Miss Frizzle and the class back to school. Please include the six signs that helped you in "Finding the Way".

Introduction Tips to Orienteering Field Trip Project Curriculum Connection Home

Prepared by Steven Tanguay, 10/10/00