Actually, the process is fairly easy and provides an interesting opportunity for your class to relive the vital skills of the marine navigator. Your classes can determine their Latitude using school yard stuff. The method involves observing the length and the time that the shadow of a pole of known height crosses a true north-south line. The method is simple, the math is simple, and middle graders can get the big picture. From the length of the shadow, Latitude is found.
Longitude is found from the observed time.
Together, the position of your school yard can be determined. Spin-offs from this exercise involve Science, Math, Social Studies, and Literature. See Navigating Around the World by Observing the Sun below to download instructions for this activity, complete with references to related lessons, and a student packet. The student packet follows at the end of this document so that when printed, it will be correctly formatted. However, this section will be more useful if you review the student packet first.