How to Make a Compass Rose With Elementary Children

Elementary students who take Social Studies will learn all about map making. Learning how to navigate and understand a map are important skills students must master. Crucial to the curriculum for this category is learning more about the compass rose. A compass rose shows directions on a map, making it easier to determine what is north, south, east or west. The compass rose is used to decipher the contents of the map and should lead the child through to his destination.

Distribute to the construction papers to the children. Every child will need a light-blue, dark-blue and yellow piece of construction paper. Also give them the scissors, glue and pencil.

Pass out the circle patterns to the children. Instruct the children to lay the circle pattern in the center of the dark-blue construction paper. With their pencil, they should trace the circle onto the paper.

Tell the children to use the scissors to cut the circles from the dark-blue construction paper. They can throw the rest of the dark-blue paper away or save it for another project later.

Pass out the star patterns to the children. Instruct the children to lay the star pattern in the center of the yellow construction paper. With their pencil, they should trace the star patter on to the paper.

Ask the children to use the scissors to cut the star from the yellow construction paper. They should throw awat the rest of the yellow paper or save it for a project you’ll try later.

Lay the light-blue sheet of paper on the desk. Dot some glue onto the center of the paper. Press the dark blue circle on top of it. Dot some glue on top of the circle and place the star on top of it.

Give children the directions and let them cut them out from the sheets of paper. Ask the children to glue the north, south, east and west directions into the right places. You may need to lead them on the chalk board. Children can throw away the paper scraps to keep their areas tidy.