I have just come back with my Y9 (13/14 years) pupils from their second field trip. After the first excursion, navigation proved to be the most popular part of the course, as a result this trip was dedicated to this subject.
Most of these youngsters have either basic smartphones, or more frequently simple mobile phones, none of them own a handheld satnavs. Hence I was really pleased when the group determined for themselves how they could calculate their individual pace counts.
In the classroom, prior to leaving and of their own volition, they surveyed the area we were staying in using Google Earth and identified two easily identifiable landmarks, with an even distance between, measuring this using the Google Earth’s Ruler tool.
They were also interested to learn how their individual pace counts would correspond to their height and inside leg measurements and if this could be used to accurately predict somebody’s pace count. The answer is yes it can.
Next week we will be taking the Y12 (16/17) on the same trip and will repeat the work the Y9’s did – there are taller students in Y12 – and I will publish the combined table we create.