Helix Oxford Metal Compass & Pencil, Black

Product Information

Many compasses have a smaller scale inside the compass housing to make this easier, or use the outer scale. This site is registered and owned by Staples inc in the USA and operated in the UK under license to Banner Group Limited.

This is the first of three lines you will draw to find your position by forming a triangle with the other two landmarks. Compasses are usually made of metal or plastic, and consist of two "legs" connected by a hinge which can be adjusted to allow changing of the radius of the circle drawn. If you're consulting a map, place the map on a flat surface and place the compass on the map to get a more accurate reading.If you stand with the first rock on your left and the second rock on your right, you are facing north. One branch has a pencil sleeve while the other branch is crimped with a fine point protruding from the end.

Your class will have an enjoyable time developing map skills and improving their knowledge of directions along with their comprehensive skills. As a result, you can quickly set the compass legs as desired by pressing the button with your finger. The adjustment varies across the country and you can generally find it printed on your map in the key.Variation is not significant when using magnetic compasses near the Equator, but closer to the North and South Poles, the difference is much greater and can lead someone many kilometers off-course. While the difference may seem incidental, traveling just one degree off for the distance of a mile will have you about 100 feet (30. Place your map on a horizontal surface and then place the compass on the map so that the orienting arrow points to true north on the map. The children can use the compass to work out and practise directional language, including North-west, south-east, to get to their destinations.

A wing nut on the hinge serves two purposes: first it tightens the pencil and secondly it locks in the desired distance when the wing nut is turned clockwise. In the 12th century, as early scientists discovered more about magnetism, the compass needle was placed on a pin, and in the 13th century added in the compass cards. Animals and CompassesMany animals—such as certain types of ants, fish, and birds—use the sun as a compass to help them find direction. Bow compasses have a hinge screw and adjustable wheel for positioning the arms, offering stability and accuracy.If you find yourself lost without a compass, you can easily make your own using a piece of magnetized metal and a bowl of water . You can even rest your thumbs (against which the end of the compass is resting) against your stomach to steady your hold. Primarily used by turners, these thickness calipers can be fitted into virtually any shape of vase or bowl.

To put it simply, the compass is a tool which points out directions, such as North, South, East and West. East of that line, declination orients toward the West, meaning that Magnetic North is several degrees West of True North. With this pack children will be taught about how compasses work, given maps with an “escape the zoo challenge”, informational posters and instructions on how to use a compass. To accurately follow the direction of travel arrow, look down at the arrow, then focus on a distant object like a tree, telephone pole, or other landmark, and use this as a guide.

One of the most difficult and advanced things you can do with a compass, but one of the most important, is finding out where you are when you don't know your exact location on the map. You can learn to identify the basic components of the compass, take an accurate reading of your bearings, and start developing the necessary skills of navigation with a few simple steps. For example, if you want to find which direction is North, rotate slowly with the compass until the travel arrow is pointing to the N on the dial. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you.