Every day, we go to different places like school, the grocery store, the library, or the movies. Sometimes, we walk to a friend’s house or take a stroll around the block. When we travel, we often go in different directions. Cars, buses, trains, and airplanes also move in different directions.
There are four main directions that help us know where to go: North, East, South, and West. These are called cardinal directions. You might see these words on maps, compasses, and street signs. They help us find our way from one place to another.
Cardinal directions are important because they help us describe where places are. For example, in the United States, there are places like North Dakota and South Carolina. These names tell us where they are located. Even in other countries, like South Korea, cardinal directions are used.
If you live in California, you might hear that you live on the West Coast because it’s near the ocean on the west side. If you live in New York, you might hear you live on the East Coast because it’s near the ocean on the east side.
We use cardinal directions on maps and GPS systems. A GPS might say, “Turn west onto Water Street” or “Go south on Route 10.” Maps often have a compass rose, which shows the directions using the letters N, E, S, and W.
Each direction points to a special place: North points to the North Pole, South to the South Pole, East to where the sun rises, and West to where the sun sets. A fun way to remember this is by saying, “Never Eat Soggy Waffles.”
Let’s practice using a map! Imagine a map with a compass rose. North is at the top, East is on the right, South is at the bottom, and West is on the left. If you know one direction, you can find the others using “Never Eat Soggy Waffles.”
On our map, Go Go Gas is east of Joe’s Market, ABC Elementary School is south of Longwood Forest, Yellow Alley is north of Orange Alley, Beth’s Salon is west of the Corner Deli, and Red Street runs north to south while Green Street runs east to west.
Which direction would you travel from the school to the park? Did you say North? Great! How about from Joe’s Market to Longwood Forest? If you said East, you’re right! From the Corner Deli to Beth’s Salon? West is correct! And from Yellow Alley to the Jagged River? South is the way to go!
Now you know how to use the four cardinal directions. You can use them when traveling or giving directions. Practice while riding in a car or on a bus. Look for street signs that use these directions too.
Landmarks can also help you know where you are. In California, the ocean is always to the West. If you don’t have a map, remember the sun rises in the East. If you face the sunrise, North is on your left, South is on your right, and West is behind you.
Remember: “Never Eat Soggy Waffles.” Once you find one direction, the others are easy to figure out. Soon, you’ll be great at finding your way around!
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Make Your Own Compass Rose: Gather some art supplies like paper, markers, and a ruler. Draw a large circle on the paper and divide it into four equal parts using the ruler. Label each part with the letters N, E, S, and W for North, East, South, and West. Decorate your compass rose with colors and drawings. Once finished, use it to practice finding directions in your home or classroom. Ask a friend or family member to give you directions using your compass rose, like “Go North to the kitchen” or “Head East to the door.”
Direction Scavenger Hunt: With the help of a teacher or parent, set up a scavenger hunt using cardinal directions. Hide small objects or toys around a room or yard. Create a simple map or list of clues using directions, such as “Take three steps North to find the first clue” or “Look East to find the hidden treasure.” As you follow the directions, think about how the cardinal directions help you find each item.
Observe the Sun: Spend some time outside observing the sun. Notice where the sun rises in the morning and where it sets in the evening. Use this observation to identify East and West. Try facing the sunrise and use your arms to point out North, South, East, and West. Discuss with a friend or family member how the sun can help you find directions even without a map or compass.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Every day, we go to different places. We walk or ride a bus to school, go to the grocery store, visit the library, or go to the movies. Sometimes, we take walks around the block. If you walk to a friend’s house, you might go down the street and then turn right or left to get there. When it’s time to return home, you will travel in another direction.
Cars, airplanes, buses, trains, and other vehicles also travel in different directions throughout the day. There are special words used to name the four main directions a vehicle or person can travel. You have probably heard of them before: North, East, South, and West. These words are found on maps, compasses, street signs, and in many other places. They are called cardinal directions or cardinal points.
Cardinal directions help people know how to get from place to place. The word “cardinal” means primary or of most importance. We call North, East, South, and West cardinal directions because they are the four main directions we travel.
There are places in the United States that use cardinal direction words to describe their location in relation to each other, such as North and South Dakota or North and South Carolina. The cardinal direction words are also used outside of the United States. For example, South Korea and the Middle East. Sometimes, people use cardinal directions to describe an area where they live. If you live in California, you might have heard that you live on the West Coast. If you live in New York, you might have heard that you live on the East Coast. That’s because both of those places are near two different oceans or coasts. California is on the west side and New York is on the east side.
Cardinal directions are also used on phones and other navigational systems like GPS. A voice gives the person driving directions, saying things like “turn west onto Water Street” or “in one quarter mile, merge south onto Route 10.”
The cardinal directions are used on maps of the entire world, as well as maps showing a single country, states, cities, and even small areas in a town. The cardinal directions are displayed on a map using a compass rose, which uses the first letter of each direction: N, E, S, W.
Each cardinal direction has a special location: North always points to the North Pole, South points to the South Pole, East points to where the sun rises in the morning, and West points to where the sun sets in the evening. One way to remember the cardinal directions is by using the first letter of each direction to form the sentence: “Never Eat Soggy Waffles.”
Now, let’s practice finding a few different places using a simple map and the cardinal directions. Can you find the compass rose on our map? Remember, the compass rose points to each direction. Using the compass rose, let’s add the cardinal directions in big letters to our map. On this map, North is at the top. If you don’t have a compass rose but know one of the directions on a map, you can find all the other directions using our saying “Never Eat Soggy Waffles.” So if North is at the top, then East is on the right side, South is at the bottom, and West is on the left side.
Are you ready to use the cardinal directions? On the map above, Go Go Gas is east of Joe’s Market, ABC Elementary School is south of Longwood Forest, Yellow Alley is north of Orange Alley, Beth’s Salon is west of the Corner Deli, and Red Street runs north to south while Green Street runs east to west.
Now it’s your turn! Which direction would you travel from the school to the park? Did you say North? That’s right! Which direction would you travel from Joe’s Market to Longwood Forest? If you said East, you’re correct! Which direction would you travel from the Corner Deli to Beth’s Salon? Did you say West? Great job! And which direction would you travel from Yellow Alley to the Jagged River? I bet you said South.
Now you know how to use the four cardinal directions with the map. You can use the cardinal directions when traveling from place to place or when you need to give directions to another person. You can practice using the cardinal directions while riding in a car or on the bus. While you’re doing that, notice the street signs that use the four cardinal directions as well.
Sometimes, certain landmarks can also help you know the direction you are heading. For example, if you are traveling across California, the ocean is always to the West. Knowing the location of a specific landmark can help you know which direction you are heading. If you don’t have a map, remember that the sunrise is always in the East. If you are facing the sunrise, North will be on your left, South will be on your right, and West is behind you.
Remember our saying: “Never Eat Soggy Waffles.” If you can find one of the cardinal directions, the rest are easy to figure out. Soon, you will be a pro at finding your way around!
Thank you for learning with us! Visit us at learnbrite.org for thousands of free resources and turnkey solutions for teachers and homeschoolers.
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This version removes any informal language and maintains a clear and educational tone.
