I is for Invention: Compasses from China (Lunar New Year Theme)

 

In Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, the main character, Minli, takes a needle on her for her journey to meet the Man of the Moon. Along her journey, we learn she can use the needle to create a compass, one of the many inventions that came from China.

Take an ordinary sewing needle and magnetize it by brushing a magnet against it several times, in one direction only! 

Then, slip your needle into a piece of paper cut into a circle (the circle simply allows to needle to spin the the water more effectively.) Place the paper/needle gently on a bowl full of water, facing South, if possible. If you have magnetized it properly, your needle should spin right around the face North.

 

Afterwards, we did a little atlas work, by calling our cities and finding their coordinates and countries.