Making a Compass

I hope you’re having a fantastic day filled with adventure and discoveries! Today, I want to tell you about an incredible tool that explorers and adventurers use—the compass. Imagine you’re a starship pilot like the Mandalorian, navigating through the vastness of space. Like him, you would need something to guide your journey. On Earth, a compass is one of the best tools for this job.

A compass is a small tool that always points toward the North. But how does it do this? A little needle is attracted to the Earth’s magnetic field inside the compass. No matter where you stand on Earth, this magnetic field pulls the needle towards the North Magnetic Pole. This helps explorers and hikers find their way through forests and mountains without getting lost.

Now, “True North” is a bit different from the North that the compass shows (which is called “magnetic north”). True North is the direction that points straight towards the North Pole, the very top of the Earth. It’s the difference between going straight towards your goal or taking a slight detour. Both directions will help you reach where you need to go, but True North is the most direct way.

You can make a compass in six easy steps:

  1. Find a Needle: We need a regular sewing needle. This will become our compass needle.
  2. Magnetize the Needle: We’ll turn the needle into a magnet. You can do this by stroking it with one side of a fridge magnet. Rub the magnet in one direction over the needle about 30 times. This makes the needle magnetic, so it points north.
  3. Prepare a Floating Base: Get a small piece of foam, a leaf, or a paper cup. Anything that can float in water.
  4. Attach the Needle: Carefully place the magnetized needle on top of your floating piece. Make sure it balances and doesn’t tip over.
  5. Fill a Bowl with Water: Find a bowl and fill it with water. Gently put your floating needle in the bowl of water.
  6. Watch it Point North: Let the needle settle without wind or movement. Eventually, it will point along a line. One end will point north, and the other south!

In life, we also talk about a “moral compass.” This isn’t a real compass you can hold, but it is just as important. Your moral compass helps you decide right from wrong and guides your actions and decisions. It’s like your own internal True North that enables you to be your best self, showing kindness and honesty, just like the heroes we admire in our favorite stories.

So, whether navigating a forest with a compass in your hand or making life choices, remembering the importance of True North—both in the world and our hearts—will help you stay on the right path.

I’m proud of your curiosity and intelligence, and I love seeing you learn about all these fantastic things. Let us keep exploring new ideas together!