The book contains 29 activities designed to answer questions about topics such as how to determine the number of individuals in a population without counting every member, how to locate the opposite of any point on Earth, and how might the land masses on Earth all have been connected as one supercontinent. Teachers can find reproducible pages with background information about topics including the distribution of land and water on Earth and assessment of population size through a census. Each activity in the book lists the key questions, corresponding standards, and integrated disciplines as well as the procedures and materials. In one activity, students use a compass to find a certain location. The teachers are given background information about the scientific properties that enable compasses to work and classroom management tips.
Students act as trailblazers when they use compasses and follow directions to find treasure.
As an extension, the book suggests students go through an orienteering course where they pick up directions on each leg of their trip. The book contains tables that elaborate how the Project 2061 Benchmarks for Science Literacy, National Geography Standards, and the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics are met. Reproducible handouts are found throughout the book.