Directions for Beginners - North, South, East, West (1970)

Steve knows how to get home from the baseball field just go along Peterson Avenue to the church and turn left when everything is familiar it's easy to find your way this morning Steve and his dad are going camping to a place they've never been before how do you go from one place to another if you don't know how to get there well one way is to ask for directions to get to the campsite Steve and his dad must go east east is the name of one of the directions perhaps you know the names of some of the other directions but now at their campsite there aren't any signs can you find directions by yourself there's something that may help a Weather Vein it shows North West South and East these are the four directions they will help you find your way even in new places you can find directions in many different ways one way is to use the sun later this evening the sun will set over there toward the west if you know where the sun sets you know where West is Steve's dad knows that tomorrow morning the sun will come up from there in the opposite direction toward the East if you know where the sun Rises you know where East is East and West are opposite directions now at noon when the sun is at its highest point in the sky Shadows are the shortest Steve's Shadow Points North where he is now it points toward that Tall Tree at night even without Shadows you can still find North how the stars there are so many stars which ones help to find directions this group The Big Dipper if we imagine lines that connect these Seven Stars it does look like a Dipper the two stars on the side of the Cup point toward the North Star now you know which direction is north at night toward the North Star the North Star shows that North is in that direction it's the same direction Steve found yesterday at noon with his shadow if you know North you can find all the other directions remember the four directions on the Weather Vein North is opposite South West is opposite East if you stand facing north and raise your right arm it Points East and now in the morning the sun is coming up there in the East when you raise your left arm it points toward the opposite direction West and behind you opposite North is South when you know one of these four directions you can find all of the others this afternoon it's cloudy so you can't use the sun to find North how can you find directions now with this a compass how does the compass work well the needle is a magnet the compass needle always points North in that direction from the campsite usually the north pointing end of the needle is painted a special color to use the compass you just turn it until n North is right above the needle the compass looks like the circle drawing Steve's dad made this morning doesn't it there's n North on the right side is East down here is south and over here on the left side is West now both the needle and N Point toward North all of the other dire directions on the compass are true when the compass is lined up with North it's time for Steve and his dad to leave the campsite to get back to the city they use a map dad made for Steve here's the campsite the road the highway and the baseball field back in the City here's the church and on this street is his house Steve's Compass had directions like this North is here East is toward the right South is toward the bottom and West is toward the left they pull off the road to check directions which way should they turn to get back to the city well first they have to know what direction they're going now they can't use the compass in the car though the car is made of steel and will affect the compass needle there this is far enough the compass needle Points North line up the compass with North they are traveling in the direction the needle Points North now they can use the map there's North turn the map until North is lined up with North on the compass there the city is west of the corner there on so they must turn left it's easy to go from one place to another when you know directions back in the city Steve and his dad have been driving on East Peterson Avenue across the street is West Peterson Avenue the street they're Crossing divides the city into the east side and the west side street signs tell you what part of the city you are in maps can tell you more tonight Steve and his dad are looking at some maps here's the United States Canada is north of us south of us is Mexico this is the east coast and here's the West Coast knowing the directions helps you understand and use maps yesterday Steve learned a lot about directions he found that north east south and west are directions and that they help you to get from one place to another here in the city too you can also find directions using the sun Steve knows that in the morning the sun rises from the East and he knows that at night it sets toward the west at noon Shadows Point North facing North toward your left is West toward your right is East behind you opposite North is South the church up there is north of Steve he lives on North Lincoln Avenue on the north side of the city today Steve is going down West Peterson Avenue to play baseball again he's going to have to remember directions because he's not playing here in his neighborhood but at another field his dad told him how to get there just walk west four blocks on Peterson Avenue turn north and walk two more blocks it's easy to go from one place to another when you know north south east east and [Music] west