Orienteering at school for ages 13-15, Chapter 16: RED TO RED!

RED TO RED!

“Red to Red”, “Orientate the map”, “thumb your map” are some terms that occur repeatedly for beginners and elite orienteers alike. Applying these principles is vital for interpreting the map.  Constant repetition will reinforce these basic techniques of orienteering.

The map is a simplified image of reality (see page 6-7). If the map is orientated incorrectly, the reality does not match the map. We cannot change reality but we can reposition the map to reality or, as we say ”orientate the map”.

You can either orientate the map to the terrain for example, by using houses and roads or by using the simple ”red to red” principle with the help of a compass. In cooperation with Silva and the project ”Skol-Sprinten”, we have developed a new compass ”Begin” which is perfectly adapted to children’s hands and sits smoothly on the wrist.

1 Fold the map

Fold the map to a proper size.

2 Thump your map

Place your thumb where you are right now. 

3 Red to Red

Rotate the map until the red edge of the map and compass red north arrow form a ”T”, i.e. north arrow is pointing toward the edge of the map. You are now orientated to reality or to the terrain.

Orientate the map in the multi-gym

The student gets a map of the multi-gym and a pen. The teacher divides the class into four groups. All students receive a colour. There are four colours on the floor showing lines for different sports. Handball (yellow), mini-handball (orange), badminton (black) and volleyball (blue). The student begins in one of the corners. As soon as the student crosses a new colour line it will change the student to the new colour line.

TIP to the teacher:

Place 22 controls on the lines (see photo on map). The letters can create three words that students should put together.

The words can be: COOL, AWESOME and EDUCATIONAL

Cut the tape into squares. Write a letter on each control marker. Place them on the floor (on the lines).

The tape can be purchased at Bauhaus.

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