You will learn
- Name the cardinal directions.
- Use the sun.
- Use a compass rose.
- Give directions.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- The four directions are north, east, south and west.
- The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
- A compass shows north.
- A compass rose helps read maps.
Words to know
where something is heading or located
north, east, south and west
a tool with a needle that shows north
a symbol on a map showing directions
1. Discover: Which way is north?
In the school yard, Ms Smith asks, “Where does the sun rise?” “Over the wall,” says Abu. “That is east,” she says. “Stand with your right hand to the east. Now you face north.” The class uses a compass to check. “Never Eat Soggy Waffles,” says Mei, a trick to remember N, E, S, W.
Think: Which direction does your classroom door face?
2. Understand: Cardinal directions
Idea 1: Four directions
The cardinal directions are north (N), east (E), south (S) and west (W). A direction tells where something is or is heading. North is opposite south; east is opposite west.
Idea 2: Finding them
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, so at midday in Sierra Leone it is often high overhead. A compass has a needle that points north. On maps, a compass rose shows the directions; north is usually at the top.
Idea 3: Using directions
We give directions such as “walk north to the market”. Sierra Leone is in the west of Africa; Guinea lies to the north and east, Liberia to the south-east and the Atlantic Ocean to the south-west.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Name
The four.
- Think.
- List.
- Say.
Answer: N, E, S, W.
Example 2 (We do it together): Sun
Rises where?
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: East.
Example 3 (You try): Use
Walk north.
Show the steps and answer
- Face.
- Move.
- Say.
Answer: Toward the top of the map.
Did you know?
The magnetic compass was invented in ancient China and later helped sailors cross oceans.
Why this matters
Directions help us read maps and travel.
4. Explore: Direction walk
In the school yard, find the four directions with a compass. Give each other directions and draw a map with a compass rose.
- Find.
- Walk.
- Draw.
- Share.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Directions were easy with the sun and compass.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- A direction is ___.
- Cardinal directions are ___.
- A compass is ___.
- A compass rose is ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What is a direction?
Where heading.
Question 2. What are the cardinal directions?
N, E, S, W.
Question 3. What is a compass?
Shows north.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What is a direction?
- What are the cardinal directions?
- What is a compass?
- What is a compass rose?
- Where does the sun rise?
Level 2: Grow
- Why use a compass?
- Why north at top?
- Why directions?
Level 3: Stretch
- Find north.
- Give directions.
- Draw a rose.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Social Studies in everyday life
Name the four directions and where the sun rises.
Show a sample answer
N, E, S, W; east.
Another one. Find north near your home with an adult.
Show a sample answer
Share.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: East.
Fix: It is a direction.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can name the cardinal directions.
- I can use the sun.
- I can use a compass rose.
- I can give directions.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- The four directions are north, east, south and west.
- The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
- A compass shows north.
- A compass rose helps read maps.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Intermediate directions introduction. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Name the four cardinal directions. [2 marks]
- Say how to find east with the sun. [3 marks]
- Give directions from the school gate to the market using N/E/S/W. [3 marks]
- Say how a compass rose helps. [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Four [2]
- Sunrise [1]; east [1]; use [1]
- Directions [2]; compass [1]
- Shows directions [1]; north [1]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- What is a direction?
- What are the cardinal directions?
- What is a compass?
- What is a compass rose?
- Where does the sun rise?
- Why use a compass?
- Why north at top?
- Why directions?
- Find north.
- Give directions.
Homework
Draw a compass rose.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What is a direction? | Where heading. | 1 |
| 2. What are the cardinal directions? | N, E, S, W. | 1 |
| 3. What is a compass? | Shows north. | 1 |
| 4. What is a compass rose? | Map direction symbol. | 1 |
| 5. Where does the sun rise? | East. | 1 |
| 6. Why use a compass? | Check north. | 1 |
| 7. Why north at top? | Convention. | 1 |
| 8. Why directions? | Find places. | 1 |
| 9. Find north. | North. | 1 |
| 10. Give directions. | Directions. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Where heading.; 2 N, E, S, W.; 3 Shows north.; 4 Map direction symbol.; 5 East.. Level 2: 1 Check north.; 2 Convention.; 3 Find places.. Level 3: 1 North.; 2 Directions.; 3 Rose..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Name the cardinal directions | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Use the sun | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Use a compass rose | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Give directions | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “The sun rises in the west.” East.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Make a direction game.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns about directions. Please find north at home safely. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Use directions.
- Use maps.
- Never look at the sun.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: name the cardinal directions; use the sun; use a compass rose; give directions.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 3 ideas: our country’s geography, landforms and regions.
Materials. Compasses, paper. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Prepare compasses.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Tell the which way is north story.
Explanation (10 min). Teach cardinal directions.
Guided activity (10 min). Direction walk.
Independent activity (10 min). Discuss.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. How do we find and use directions?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with a picture, story, map or local example. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always ask “how do you know?” and invite more than one view. Treat every family, culture and community with respect, and never ask learners to share private information.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use pictures, maps, real objects and short sentences, and let learners work with a partner. Let learners point, show, act or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example from their own community and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “The sun rises in the west.” East.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Make a direction game. Enrichment. Find one new example near your home or school, draw or write about it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: NCSS standards and C3 Framework, Cambridge Primary Humanities and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Social Studies curriculum, Grade 3 Unit 9, topic 3; NCSS C3 Framework, geography; Cambridge Primary Humanities, maps and places; IB Primary Years Programme, where we are in place and time. These sources informed the lesson.