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Daniel Boone Exploration DIY Easy Compass Activity and Survival Ideas

December 11, 2022 | 1 Comment
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Today, we’re learning about Daniel Boone exploration and ideas to learn from his life. You’ll love my unit study and other ideas on my page Daniel Boone – North American Explorer.

And when you think about Daniel Boone and his life you think about his amazing skills on the frontier. 

After all, he is best known for exploring and settling the area we now know as Kentucky.

Daniel Boone Exploration DIY Easy Compass Activity and Survival Ideas

He used his knowledge of the area and the skills he learned growing up to become a folk hero and create a legacy that lives on today.

What was commonplace living then is considered survival skills in today’s world.

Survival skills are something that you might want to incorporate into your child’s homeschool goals.

Table of Contents

Toggle
  • Survival Skill Ideas for Kids
  • Books for Daniel Boone Unit Study & Survival Ideas
  • How a Compass Works
  • How to Make a Compass

Survival Skill Ideas for Kids

Some things that you might want to teach them that would have been a part of the upbringing in Daniel Boone’s world are:

  • Building a shelter- How to gather and arrange whatever is at hand to protect themselves from the elements.
  • Starting a fire- Not only arranging wood but starting a fire without a lighter or matches.
  • Using a compass- A good skill to help them find their way in the wilderness.
  • Finding and filtering clean water- Knowing how to find and different methods for purifying water.
  • Basic First Aid- Learning to clean and care for basic emergencies.
  • How to use a knife-Safely handling and storing
  • Acquiring food- An important basic wilderness skill, identifying edible plants, making fish traps, and animal traps.
  • And be sure to grab my free Daniel Boone Lapbook.
  • Also, look at Daniel Boone: The Complete Series.

Even if you did not grow up this way teaching these skills may appeal to you, but how do you teach what you aren’t skilled in yourself?

Daniel Boone Exploration DIY Easy Compass Activity and Survival Ideas

Grab some of these resources to help you.

First, I have a Foraging and Feasting Nature Unit Study and Lapbook.

Books for Daniel Boone Unit Study & Survival Ideas

Second, one of my favorite resources to learn anything and about Daniel Boone Exploration are books.

10 Resources for A Daniel Boone Unit Study

Whether you want to add a hands-on unit study or are looking for a few resources, you'll love one of these.

1. Daniel Boone: The Life and Legend of an American Pioneer

Struggle against the Shawnee defenders of Kentucky. Drawing from popular narrative, public record, documentation from Boone's own hand, and recollection gathered by 19th-century antiquarians, the author employs the methods of the new social history to produce a portrait that defines Daniel Boone and the times he helped shape.

2. Who Was Daniel Boone? (Who Was?)

Called the "Great Pathfinder", Daniel Boone is most famous for opening up the West to settlers through Kentucky. A symbol of America's pioneering spirit Boone was a skilled outdoorsman and an avid reader although he never attended school. Sydelle Kramer skillfully recounts Boone's many adventures such as the day he rescued his own daughter from kidnappers.

3. The Dangerous Book for Boys

The bestselling book—more than 1.5 million copies sold—for every boy from eight to eighty, covering essential boyhood skills such as building tree houses, learning how to fish, finding true north, and even answering the age old question of what the big deal with girls is—now a Prime Original Series created by Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) and Greg Mottola (Superbad).

In this digital age, there is still a place for knots, skimming stones and stories of incredible courage. This book recaptures Sunday afternoons, stimulates curiosity, and makes for great father-son activities. The brothers Conn and Hal have put together a wonderful collection of all things that make being young or young at heart fun—building go-carts and electromagnets, identifying insects and spiders, and flying the world's best paper airplanes.

4. Willy Whitefeather's Outdoor Survival Handbook for Kids

From treating a bee sting to building an overnight shelter, kids will gain the knowledge and confidence they need to survive outdoors.All ages

5. Daniel Boone: Frontiersman (Heroes of History)

Written for readers age 10 and up -- enjoyed by adults!In search of open spaces and land to call his own, Daniel Boone fearlessly led a band of brave settlers into the bountiful Kentucky wilderness. Daniel's expert hunting ability, incredible outdoor survival skills, and courage under fire helped his companions stay alive in a dangerous and unknown land despite threatening encounters with soldiers, Indians, and even other settlers.

6. History Pockets: Explorers of North America, Grades 4-6+

The book includes the following pockets:

  • Introduction to Explorers of North America
  • Christopher Columbus
  • John Cabot
  • Hernando Cortes
  • Jacques Cartier
  • Sir Francis Drake
  • Henry Hudson
  • Daniel Boone
  • James Cook
  • Lewis and Clark
  • John Wesley Powell

7. Daniel Boone: Trailblazer

Born in Pennsylvania in 1734, Daniel Boone cut a path west, carving his name into trees. Although he endured repeated property losses, he became a household name and was greatly admired for his surveying skills and the many claims he laid, opening the west for further settlement.

8. Survive & Thrive: A Pocket Guide To Wilderness Safety Skills, Plus 16 Quick-Check Skill Cards

Gear up for outdoor adventure, learn to stay alive, and help yourself thrive – feeling confident that you can handle whatever comes your way!

Accidents happen and nature can be unpredictable, which is why this ultra-portable survival kit is a must-have for casual nature explorers and slightly more adventurous campers in need of essential outdoor guidance that they can carry along with them.

9. Bear Grylls The Complete Adventures Collection 12 Books Set

Titles In This Set:The Blizzard ChallengeThe Desert ChallengeThe Jungle ChallengeThe Sea ChallengeThe River ChallengeThe Earthquake ChallengeThe Volcano ChallengeThe Safari ChallengeThe Cave ChallengeThe Mountain ChallengeThe Arctic ChallengeThe Sailing Challenge

10. Daniel Boone: Young Hunter and Tracker (Childhood of Famous Americans)

A general account of the life of the prominent American frontiersman who is especially remembered for helping to settle Kentucky

Then learn about how a compass works.

How a Compass Works

Here is a bit of science,

How does this work? A needle is made from steel which contains iron.

When you stroke the needle on the magnet the iron particles are magnetized. It only works temporarily, but you do get to see a cool effect of a needle working like a compass.

The metals iron, steel, nickel and cobalt are magnetic.

Now, a compass works by detecting and responding to the Earth’s natural magnetic fields – always pointing north.

Earth’s core is made of iron that is part liquid and part solid crystal.

The movement of the liquid core produces the earth’s magnetic field. 

Now, look at these easy directions in how to make a compass.

How to Make a Compass

You will need:

  • Small cork
  • Fine sharpie
  • A needle
  • A Small cup
  • Water
  • A magnet
Daniel Boone Exploration DIY Easy Compass Activity and Survival Ideas

The first thing you want to do is slice off a piece of the cork about ¼” thick.

Daniel Boone Exploration DIY Easy Compass Activity and Survival Ideas

Slide the needle through the center of the cork, it helps to use a pair of needle nose pliers rather than trying to do it with your bare fingers.

Daniel Boone Exploration DIY Easy Compass Activity and Survival Ideas

Next rub the pointed tip of the needle back and forth across the magnet 25-30 times to magnetize it.

Daniel Boone Exploration DIY Easy Compass Activity and Survival Ideas

Fill a small jar about ⅔ full of water and place your compass in the water, the needle will point north/south.

Daniel Boone Exploration DIY Easy Compass Activity and Survival Ideas

You can use a real compass or a compass on your phone to test and be sure which direction is north to prove it.

Daniel Boone Exploration DIY Easy Compass Activity and Survival Ideas

Use a fine point sharpie to mark North, South, East, and West on the cork.

Daniel Boone Exploration DIY Easy Compass Activity and Survival Ideas

Place it back into the jar of water.

Daniel Boone Exploration DIY Easy Compass Activity and Survival Ideas

Remember you will need to re-magnetize it for each use.

1 CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: american history, DanielBoone, early American history, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history, history resources, homeschoolhistory

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