Be a Navigator!

Learn to Plot ship's position, just as Captain Straburzynski does aboard Concordia!
(You may print this page if you'd like, but you need to stay in the site to get information for your plot.)

1. Check Concordia's Position to find the ship's approximate position in the world -- then click Back to return to this page.

2. Map Match Challenge! Select from the table below the large scale map where Concordia is now. When that map is loaded onto your screen, print the map, then click Back to return to this page.

Here are the maps in our collection. Click on any of them to learn more details of that area! Then come Back and go to step 3.

3. Visit the Glossary for definitions of latitude, longitude and Beaufort Force. Write them on the back of your map, then click Back to return to this page.

4. Compare your printed map with the World Tracking Map that came with Class Afloat: The Classroom Program 1996-97, or with a globe or another world map. Label the Equator as 0°. Label all the latitude and longitude lines on your map with the degrees of Latitude, x°N(orth) or y°S(outh), and the degrees of Longitude, a°E(ast) or b°W(est).

5. Visit Ship's Log and write on the back of your map Concordia's latitude and longitude, and the wind direction and wind velocity (in Beaufort Force).

6. On the two Longitude lines between which lies Concordia's Longitude, place a pencil mark at the number of degrees of Concordia's Latitude. You will likely have to estimate where these marks should go between the lines of Latitude that are printed on your map. With a ruler draw a faint line between your two marks.

7. On the two Latitude lines between which lies Concordia's Latitude, place a pencil mark at the number of degrees of Concordia's Longitude. You will likely have to estimate where these marks should go between the lines of Longitude that are printed on your map. With a ruler draw a faint line between your two marks.

8. Congratulations! Where your two lines cross is Concordia's Position! Draw a small bold cross with a small circle around it at that point. Erase your faint lines.

9. Next, draw an arrow near Concordia's position which points in the direction that the wind is blowing. For example, if Ship's Log says the wind is NE (Northeast), then it's blowing from Northeast to Southwest. On the tail of the arrow, draw a number of feathers equal to the Beaufort Force of the wind. That's the way meteorologists do it!

10. Do these steps for 5 days in a row, and you'll have a nice track of Concordia, and a graphic image of how the wind is changing direction and velocity!

11. Show your map to your friends and teach them about where Concordia is, and what the wind direction and velocity have been!

Congratulations! You're a Navigator!

Ocean Challenge / e-mail: ocean@oceanchallenge.com / Class Afloat '97
(c) Copyright 1996, Ocean Challenge