Ages: 9-11
Time: 10:30-11:25
Room: Room B
Max. Students: 20
Materail Fee: $15

Learn the basics of navigating your way while hiking or boating. Topics include how to: read a topographic map and a nautical chart, plot a course and estimate travel time, use a compass and determine your position by taking bearings on visible landmarks (e.g. mountain peaks, radio towers, lighthouses, etc.). You’ll also learn about magnetic north, true north, and magnetic variation (declination). Finally, we will cover the basics of celestial navigation. You will learn the most important stars used in navigation and how to find them using basic constellations and asterisms. We hope to schedule at least one field trip to take star sights at twilight – this is when celestial navigation is done because the horizon and the stars need to be visible at the same time. NOTE: This class will be taught without a lot of math. Higher math can be taught to interested students. Participants should bring to class: a protractor, pencil, ruler and a compass. Compasses can be found on any smart phone these days. For a traditional compass, here is a link to buy a cheap one ($10): through amazon.

Students will be required to bring a Compass, protractor, pencil, ruler each week.

Kids should be focused, good listeners, able to follow directions, and eager to learn new skills, and have a desire to do things outdoors. You can’t navigate inside a house! Interest in hiking, mountain biking, boating (or anything that involves a topo map) is a plus. This will be fun!!!

Our visiting professor is a very fun and smart teacher.

Richard Gregory-Allen, of Dallas, TX & Boston, MA You may know Richard from NL summer camp where he taught the class on converting an exercise bike to an electricity generator. Richard is an experienced offshore sailor and racer, and has 3 times been the navigator for a sailboat race from Massachusetts to Bermuda in which no electronics are allowed. Richard invented an integrated navigation system with a moving chart display, used by yachts, fisherman, commercial shipping, coast guards and Navies around the world. His company was called Laser Plot and the product was called ChartNav. Richard currently works as an IT consultant, musician, sailing & music teacher, and is doing business development & operations documentation for the GrassRoots Festival in NY, NC and FL.

Parents and (quietly self engaged) siblings are welcome to stay in the room but are not required to stay.

Class leader: Lydia 
Outside leader: Richard G.