Find North with the Sun
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What you will learn
- 1Explain that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west
- 2Find north, south, east, and west using the morning sun
- 3Find the directions using the evening sun
- 4Remember the order of the directions with "Never Eat Soggy Waffles"
- 5Never look straight at the sun
Mini Lesson
There are four main directions: north, east, south, and west. The sun can help you find them. Everywhere on Earth, the sun rises in the east in the morning. It sets in the west in the evening. Its spot moves a little with the seasons, so this gives you rough directions - and that is a great start.
🌿 The Wild Way (let the sun show the way)
- MORNING SUN: in the morning, stand with the sun in front of you. You are facing roughly east.
- BEHIND YOU IS WEST: when you face east, west is behind your back.
- LEFT AND RIGHT: facing the morning sun, north is on your left and south is on your right.
- EVENING SUN: in the evening, face the setting sun. You are facing roughly west.
- FLIP IT: facing the evening sun, north is on your right and south is on your left.
- NEVER EAT SOGGY WAFFLES: North, East, South, West go around clockwise, like a clock.
Never look straight at the sun - not even for a second. It can hurt your eyes. Just notice which side of the sky it is on, then look away. Do this outdoors with your grown-up.
Words to know
direction
The way something faces or moves, like north or west.
e.g. Which direction is the lake?
north
One of the four main directions. On most maps it is at the top.
e.g. Facing the morning sun, north is on my left.
east
The direction where the sun rises in the morning.
e.g. The sun rises in the east.
west
The direction where the sun sets in the evening.
e.g. The sun sets in the west.
sunrise
The time in the morning when the sun comes up.
e.g. At sunrise, I face east.
sunset
The time in the evening when the sun goes down.
e.g. At sunset, I face west.
🧠 Survivor’s Trick: in the morning, stand with the sun in front of you and stretch your arms out wide. Your left hand points north and your right hand points south. In the evening, face the sunset and it flips: your right hand points north.
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