You will learn
- Name intermediate directions.
- Place them on a compass rose.
- Describe locations.
- Apply to maps.
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
- There are four intermediate directions.
- They lie between cardinal directions.
- Compass roses show eight directions.
- They give more exact locations.
Words to know
a direction halfway between two cardinal directions
halfway between north and east
halfway between south and west
a direction given as an angle (introduction only)
1. Discover: Between the main directions
The class draws an eight-point compass rose. “South-west is halfway between south and west,” says Ms Smith. They look at a map of Sierra Leone. “Freetown is on the west coast of the country by the Atlantic, and Kailahun is in the south-east.” Kofi says, “Now we can describe places more exactly.”
Think: Which is north-east of the school gate?
2. Understand: Intermediate directions
Idea 1: Four more
An intermediate direction is halfway between two cardinal directions: north-east (NE), south-east (SE), south-west (SW) and north-west (NW). Together with N, E, S and W they make eight compass points.
Idea 2: On the compass rose
Draw a cross for N, E, S, W, then add NE, SE, SW and NW between them. The intermediate directions help describe places that are not directly north or east, such as “the port is north-west of the town”.
Idea 3: Sierra Leone examples
Freetown lies on the west coast of Sierra Leone; Kailahun lies in the east and south-east near the border. Using eight directions makes descriptions clearer. (A bearing uses angles and is learned later.)
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Name
Four intermediate.
- Think.
- List.
- Say.
Answer: NE, SE, SW, NW.
Example 2 (We do it together): Place
Between N and E.
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: North-east.
Example 3 (You try): Describe
Where is Freetown?
Show the steps and answer
- Look.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: On the west coast.
Did you know?
Sailors long ago used 32 compass points to describe directions at sea.
Why this matters
More exact directions make maps and instructions clearer.
4. Explore: Eight-point rose
Make an eight-point compass rose. Use it to describe where classroom objects are in relation to the door.
- Draw.
- Label.
- Describe.
- Check.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Eight directions gave detail.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- An intermediate direction is ___.
- North-east is ___.
- South-west is ___.
- A bearing is ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What is an intermediate direction?
Between two main ones.
Question 2. What is north-east?
Between north and east.
Question 3. What is south-west?
Between south and west.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What is an intermediate direction?
- What is north-east?
- What is south-west?
- How many compass points?
- Name one.
Level 2: Grow
- Why use eight?
- Why practise?
- Why safe walking?
Level 3: Stretch
- Draw a rose.
- Label it.
- Describe objects.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Social Studies in everyday life
Name all four intermediate directions.
Show a sample answer
NE, SE, SW, NW.
Another one. Describe your home using eight directions.
Show a sample answer
Share.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: There are eight on a compass rose.
Fix: It is between north and east.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can name intermediate directions.
- I can place them on a compass rose.
- I can describe locations.
- I can apply to maps.
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
- There are four intermediate directions.
- They lie between cardinal directions.
- Compass roses show eight directions.
- They give more exact locations.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Simple grids. 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 intermediate directions. [2 marks]
- Say where north-west is. [2 marks]
- Describe the location of three classroom objects using eight directions. [3 marks]
- Say why eight directions are useful. [3 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Four [2]
- Between north and west [2]
- Three [3]
- More exact [1]; clearer [1]; example [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 an intermediate direction?
- What is north-east?
- What is south-west?
- How many compass points?
- Name one.
- Why use eight?
- Why practise?
- Why safe walking?
- Draw a rose.
- Label it.
Homework
Draw an eight-point compass rose.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What is an intermediate direction? | Between two main ones. | 1 |
| 2. What is north-east? | Between north and east. | 1 |
| 3. What is south-west? | Between south and west. | 1 |
| 4. How many compass points? | Eight. | 1 |
| 5. Name one. | North-west. | 1 |
| 6. Why use eight? | More exact. | 1 |
| 7. Why practise? | Navigation. | 1 |
| 8. Why safe walking? | Stay together. | 1 |
| 9. Draw a rose. | Rose. | 1 |
| 10. Label it. | Label. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Between two main ones.; 2 Between north and east.; 3 Between south and west.; 4 Eight.; 5 North-west.. Level 2: 1 More exact.; 2 Navigation.; 3 Stay together.. Level 3: 1 Rose.; 2 Label.; 3 Describe..
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 intermediate 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 Place them on 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 |
| O3 Describe locations | 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 Apply to maps | 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: “There are only four directions.” There are eight on a compass rose.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Make a compass rose craft.
- 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 eight directions. Please practise describing places together. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Use eight directions.
- Play direction games.
- Stay safe.
- 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 intermediate directions; place them on a compass rose; describe locations; apply to maps.
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 rose templates.
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 between the main directions story.
Explanation (10 min). Teach intermediate directions.
Guided activity (10 min). Eight-point rose.
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 eight directions describe places?
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. “There are only four directions.” There are eight on a compass rose.
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 compass rose craft. 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 4; 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.