GPS+Units+and+Geocaching

=GPS Units and Geocaching=

We will meet in the CyberZone to divide into teams and pass out the GPS units. Once we have a chance to quickly show you how to enter the first set of coordinates we'll send you on your way. Each team will have three caches to find using our longitude and latitude coordinates. Your team will find a cache and answer questions about possible GPS use in your own classrooms. This should be a fun way to learn about geocaching first hand, and brainstorm with your team different ways you could use GPS devices with your class. (All the geocaches are hidden outside at various locations around the Academy, so wear your walking shoes!)

[|CLICK HERE to view/print the Garmin etrex Handout.]

[|Wikipedia Article on Geocaching] [|www.geocaching.com] [|GPS Lesson Plan Ideas/Starters]
 * Addtional Geocaching Resources:**


 * Please post your ideas, strategies and questions below:**

1. Set caches around the school for training with students 2. Leave course related questions in the caches for students to answer as they find the caches 3. Use the travel bugs to help students track their progress around the area, state, world 4. Distance estimation and physics vectors 5. Activity for walking club to track speed and distance - make exercise fun 6. Enforce teamwork, problem-solving and communication skills 7. Geocaching club 8. Teach the concept of latitude and longitude 9. Teach ordinal directions 10. Scavenger Hunt for quiz review - answer questions as they go 11. Take a question leave a question 12. Have students register and hide their own caches 13. Incremental assignment - writing, drawing, sub-points to an outline, vocab list, etc. 14. Follow a timeline of history 15. Motivation: Here are some links to stories of search and rescues aided by GPS http://g.msn.com/0NL66760/2301 http://www.fremontrescue.org/feb_2005.htm http://www.the-gps-place.com/downloads/Compass-May04.pdf Also, an existing resource with latitude/longitude for comparison is Google Earth