Choose a few different kinds of maps and open them up for comparison. Try for trail maps as well as road maps. Notice the scale of the map and find the map legend. This is usually a boxed area that shows symbols for road types, points of interest, waterways, distances and so forth. Land maps are usually measured in statute miles or kilometers.
Look for each map's grid. This usually runs along the outer edges with letters across the top and numbers down the side, or vice versa. (Nautical charts will have latitude down the sides and longitude across the top.) Street maps will have an alphabetical list on the reverse side. Locate a particular street, then flip the map over and try to find that street using the map grid.
Locate major cities, then select a few surrounding minor towns. If you have a ruler or plotting tools, you can measure the distance between them and refer to the legend for how much of an inch (or centimeters, etc.) might equal a mile.
Locate your city on a map. Find your street and your address. These are typically easy to find on large-scale maps, but your address or approximate location may not show up on smaller-scale maps as they will show more of the surrounding area.
Familiarize yourself with each new map you select and identify key points between which you might want to travel. Measure the anticipated distance and try to determine the direction you will travel in general: N, E, S, W, or NE SW and so forth.
Stand in your yard or somewhere outdoors. Hold the compass and notice the direction in which the needle points. The direction it points is always magnetic north. Line your body up with your back turned to the north - 0 or 360 degrees will be behind you. The compass contains 360 degrees that complete a circle. Straight ahead of you will be 180, to your left 90, to your right 270. A good thing to note is the direction the sun moves across your yard. Try to find east (where it rises) and west (where it sets). If you do this throughout the seasons, you will notice that sometimes the sun is higher or lower than you might anticipate.
Walk down the street in an easterly direction. Put the compass in a pocket. Stop walking when you are several blocks away, and be sure to turn up or down side streets. Try to determine where north is from where you now stand. After you have a good guess, pull out the compass and check it against your answer.
Use the compass to return home. First consider your general direction and course: your home is now west of you or south of you, so what direction can you walk most directly to return?
Return home and place the compass over a map. The maps are usually oriented with north at the top. If your maps have a compass rose, which is a drawing showing compass points and directions, align your compass to it for comparison.
Find two towns on any map for your area. If you have a vehicle and want to test this on the road, try to find towns that are only several miles apart. Measure the distance and keep it to under five miles. Use the compass to determine the direction you will have to travel between the towns. Locate hills or mountain ranges and lakes and rivers, and find important landmarks on the map and determine the direction to each of these from your home and between each other.
Take a hike into an area for which you have a local map. Orient to all the map details as per the above steps, then estimate the direction to travel between two given points. Walk in that direction, noticing always where north is and your course (or direction).
Go out on a boat and work with the compass and a nautical chart to orient between land and water. This is an alternative way to learn. If you own a boat, great, but if you are on a friend's vessel you can ask them to turn the boat in various directions so you can determine if land is to the east or west, what the boat's heading is, what course to turn to to drive between points and other kinds of practice. Compare the boat findings to your own compass.
Drive on city streets trying to find your way between two random points on opposite sides of town. Use your map and compass at intervals or pull over if you feel you have gotten lost.
Take a road trip and combine the compass and maps experience you have gained. Mark off anticipated towns as you reach them. Try to determine the various directions without looking at the compass, then check to confirm you are on course.
