Project O.R.I.E.N.T. Using GPS & Geocaching to Explore Environmental Science 2008 NCMSA Conference Powerpoint available at www.bjpenn4h.org/ORIENT.htm

Outdoor Environmental Education has been great for Elementary School students… …but Middle School students are not engaged by the same lessons or methods.

So what does engage middle school youth? Technology Connections to the Real World Perceived Trust / Freedom Social Opportunities Challenges / Quests

Can we turn any of these things to our advantage? Technology Students become acquainted with handheld GPS Units – finding locations according to latitude and longitude.

Can we turn any of these things to our advantage? Perceived Freedom / Trust Students make their own group decisions. Instructors are there for safety and support, NOT to direct students in where to go or how to accomplish a task.

Can we turn any of these things to our advantage? Challenges / Quests Students are engaged in “geocaching” – a quest to find hidden treasures, using a GPS unit, a map, a set of known coordinates, and one's own wits.

Geocaching? Geo-cashing? Geo-what? Geocaching? Geo-cashing? I’m gettin’ paid? Cash money? Woohoo!

www.geocaching.com

In traditional geocaching, the fun is in the “search”, and once you find the cache there are a few trinkets to exchange. Then you head on your way. If this were true in Project O.R.I.E.N.T., we’d have a fabulous geography program, but would have only scratched the surface of the potential science…

So rather than trinkets, students find instructions and equipment leading them to perform various tasks… Scientific Mathematical Team Challenges Social Science

Outdoor Research In Environment, Navigation & Technology The Result A technological scavenger hunt - perfect for engaging middle school students - that sends groups of 10-12 students exploring deep into the forests, streams and natural environs of our 220 acre campus. Once there, they participate in age-appropriate science & math explorations. Project O.R.I.E.N.T. Outdoor Research In Environment, Navigation & Technology

Project O.R.I.E.N.T. Day One: Morning Travel, Arrival & Orientation Afternoon Skills Rotations Day Two: Geocaching on site, with science, math and other challenges at each cache. Day Three: Further Geocaching… Afternoon Departure & Travel Home

We’ve done the setup work, and we have the facilities & staff to provide the program… But we haven’t put a patent on it. If you want to set up a similar program based from your own classroom, here’s a few things to think about:

What Guiding Principles Will You Consider? What Base of Knowledge is Necessary? How will you Build this Base of Knowledge? What Topics Will You Include At Caches? What Equipment & Resources Will You Need? What are the Logistical Details? Where Can We Grow From Here?

A Few of Our Guiding Principles We must take advantage of the 220 Acres we are blessed with!! Teaching students how to use a GPS without also increasing their map literacy is plain irresponsible. We will paint with a wide brush, exposing students to a wide range of Environmental Sciences, not just one specific area. Every student should be involved in group decisions, especially when searching for caches. Our focus must always be on getting students excited about science, and excited about the outdoors.

Building a Base of Knowledge Knowledge & Understanding of Latitude & Longitude Coordinate System (Including Direction, Minutes/Degrees, etc)

Building a Base of Knowledge Knowledge & Understanding of Topographic Maps (Including how to find locations using landforms & lat/long)

Building a Base of Knowledge Knowledge & Understanding of Why GPS Receivers Work (Including satellite system and triangulation)

Building a Base of Knowledge Knowledge & Understanding of How to employ a GPS Receiver (Including 4 main Navigation Screens, Mark & Goto)

Example Science Topics We Have Pursued Plankton Nets & Microscope Searches in Pond Water Classification of Stream Macroinvertebrates Forest Mapping Wildlife Habitat Checklists Stream Flow Slope & Erosion

Interdisciplinary Topics We Have Pursued Creative Storytelling Local Cultural History Landmarks Algebraic Puzzles Mind-Benders Team Challenges

Equipment & Resources GPS Units (1:3 ratio?) Maps, Globes, etc for Lat/Long Discovery Topos for Cache Location Open Spaces for Cache Placement Cache Containers Specific Cache Contents/Equipment

Logistical Details Where is the area you will use to hide caches? How much time do you have to teach the “Base Knowledge”? How much actual search time do you have? How will you keep track of the caches you have hidden? What sort of rotation will you use, if you have multiple groups searching for caches at the same time? What happens if groups catch up to each other?

Where Can We Grow From Here? GPS & GIS can be Complementary So far, the GPS is used only to locate the cache. How do we use it as a tool at the cache? Real Data Collection, then manipulation with data from other data collectors, especially into GIS mapping projects.

Special Thanks… A big thanks goes out to the Student Science Enrichment Program at the Burroughs Welcome Fund. Who will you be thanking??

Teacher ORIENT A chance for educators to experience Betsy-Jeff Penn’s Project O.R.I.E.N.T. May 9-10, 2008 (Friday & Saturday) Betsy-Jeff Penn 4H Educational Center Reidsville, NC For more info, visit www.bjpenn4h.org

Contact Info Feel Free to Contact Me with any Questions Kevin Moore Betsy-Jeff Penn 4H Education Center 336-349-9445 kevin_moore@ncsu.edu www.bjpenn4h.org This Powerpoint is available for download at www.bjpenn4h.org/ORIENT.htm