Our Spatial Literacy theme for March is one of the simplest of Spatial Literacy concepts, that of Direction. This falls into the Location category (see my previous article about categories).

In South Africa, we start teaching Direction in early grades but formally in Grades 4, 5 and 6 as it is an integral part of teaching Map Work Skills. But Direction is also a key component of Spatial Literacy in terms of knowing where we are in the world and how we relate to the world around us. Direction is consolidated at the higher grades and used as a basis for solving problems.

The examples included here are very simple but give the idea that Spatial Literacy teaching can start in the Intermediate Phase.

Intermediate Phase: a simple but interactive game for consolidation

• Divide the class into groups of 4 learners.
• Tell each group that each learner must choose one fixed direction (i.e. the first learner chooses east, other chooses north etc).
• Point to one part of the room and say “This is the north”.
• The groups should then organise themselves so that the ‘north’ child is also pointing north and the other children are all in the correct positions, pointing to their own correct compass positions.
• The fastest group is the winner!
• This game could also be extended to include north-east / south-east / north-west and south-west (with eight children in each group).

Another Intermediate Phase example:
Use a map of Africa in an atlas or a GIS with data of Africa to help you answer the questions below:

• Which country is NORTH of Namibia?
• Which country is EAST of Ethiopia?
• Which country is WEST of Botswana?
• Which country is SOUTH of Egypt?
• Which country is WEST of Mali?
• Which country is NORTH of Ghana?
• Which country is SOUTH of Malawi?
• Which country is NORTH of Kenya?
• Which country is EAST of Zambia?
• Which country is WEST of Toga?

This can obviously be made more challenging by introducing the north-east / south-east / north-west and south-west directions.

GET Phase: using a GIS package for Direction and Angle

If your learners have access to a GIS, direction can practised using any data layer and by drawing simple lines in compass directions. The directions drawn can also relate maths in terms of the angle. You can even then show the differences between direction, angle and heading as shown in the example below.

If you don’t have access to a GIS, then give the learners an atlas or photocopied maps and get them to drawing simple lines in compass directions. For example, you could give the instruction: find Johannesburg. Draw a northerly line to Bulawayo. Is this exactly North or not? What would be a better description of that direction? and so on… The directions drawn can also relate maths in terms of the angle. You can even then show the differences between direction, angle and heading.

FET Phase

By the FET phase, direction is a core and perhaps implicit concept for any geography learner. So, from a Spatial Literacy point of view, in trying to combine the components of space, representation and reasoning, here are some ideas for discussions, mini-projects or projects:

• What is the relationship between direction, aspect and slope? Why are slope and aspect important? What can we do with our knowledge of these concepts in the real world?
• Designing a house: Developing and refining an understanding of the choices that inform house design. Is direction an important concept during the design process?
• Giving and following directions: are cardinal direction points a necessary part of this?
• Explore the role that compass direction plays in Relative and Absolute location.
• Projects to develop the notion of a Global Citizen: explore ‘Cardinal directions in world cultures’ or ‘Non-compass directional systems’ using Wikipedia, Encarta and other encyclopaedias or research sites.

General Ideas for extension

• Discuss the differences between bearings in marine navigation, aircraft navigation and land navigation as well as the different types of bearings such as true bearings, magnetic bearings, grid bearings, compass bearings and relative bearings.
• Determining the true course of a marine vessel or aircraft. Differences between headings and bearings

Join me next time when we look at answering the questions “Where is it?”, “Where am I?“. We will be looking at the Location, Latitude, Longitude, Up, Down, Left, Right concepts in the Location category.

direction, maths, spatial literacy