1. Environmental Engagement: Using GPS

2. TODAYS ACTIVITY
ETHAN, RICKY, PATRICK, SCOTT AND MATTHEW ARE HERE TO HELP YOU.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS PLEASE DON’T HESISTATE TO ASK.
WE ARE HERE TO HELP.

3. GPS: What is It?
GPS is funded by and controlled by the US Department of Defense (DOD). While there are many thousands of civil users of GPS world-wide, the system was designed for and is operated by the U. S. military.
GPS provides specially coded satellite signals that can be processed in a GPS receiver.
Four GPS satellite signals are needed to calculate positions.

4. Where is GPS Used?
Besides being used by the military. GPS is used in Car Navigation, Marine applications, Emergency Services and By the Department of Sustainability and Environment.

5. Cost: They range in price from about $150+
Borrow them from community groups, friends, parents, partners.

6. Geocaching: What is it? A sport.
People participate from around the world. With websites set up to post cache’s and comments.
Is a modern day treasure hunting activity that allows you to use GPS – and therefore a “global address” – to locate a cache. Meaning you don’t need a map, just a GPS unit.

7. Rules: 1. Take something. 2. Leave something.
3. Fill in the Log Book located with Cache
4. Do not move or remove the cache
5. If Cache was downloaded from a geocaching group. Log on and make a comment online.

8. What do I need to start?
Container with a lid – usually plastic/ Metal and waterproof
At least one GPS device
An Item to put in the cache
Sometimes a Pen

9. Classroom Geocaching
Scavenger Hunt – Are given a clue to find a cache which had clues to solve a problem given by the teacher.
Subject Cache – Each Cache uses a particular subject question, that can lead to the next Cache, till they reach the endpoint.
Direction – Students use direction instructions and the GPS unit to find a cache.

10. Science/Social Studies Cache – each “cache” is actually a tree, plant species (or something similar), or landmark that students must identify.
Mapping – Students can use GPS co-ordinates to map an area of the school or local park.
Basic North, South, East and West directions to follow.

11. Good Sites for Lesson Plans and Geocaching:

12. Getting started
Only use Lithium (36 hours) or rechargeable (25 Hours) batteries.
Press the button on the top of the GPS unit to turn it on and off.
It can’t get a signal under cover.

13. Parts of the Garman GPS60 Click PAGE to go to other pages. .
If you want to get out of something press the OUIT button.
IN and OUT button is for zooming in and zooming out when following directions.

14. Saterlite Screen
Wait until the bars come up black/and the numbers at the top of the screen.
Click PAGE to go to other pages. .
If you want to get out of something press the OUIT button.
IN and OUT button is for zooming in and zooming out when following directions.

15. Marking a Place
If you click on MARK a screen with come up showing Waypoint Name, Note, location.
At the top of the screen it will have a number (ie. 001, 010) this is the information you want to change.
Use the scroll pad and move up to till the number is highlighted and then clear it.
Type in a location but don’t make it to obvious.
When you are done press ‘ok’ on the pad on the screen.
Then do the same thing to ‘note’ as above.
Then you click the other ‘ok’ on the button.
Then it come up as a map and there will be a flag

16. Playing Educational Games
Go to Main Menu.
Then go to games.
Then there are different games memory race, virtual maze, geko smak, nibbon, gekoid, beast hunt .
After you press ok then size and how hard you want it.

17. How do you find geocaching points?
Press FIND then click on waypoint that you have been indicated to go to. Then there are many different types of waypoints.
You can make your own waypoints on mark.

18. Bearing to the next turn.
Navigation - Options
Current speed
Distance to the next turn
Estimated arrival time at the final destination
Estimated time to the next turn
Bearing to the next turn.
Can use this with lower Primary for South, East, North, West directions.
* Current speed
* Current heading
* Guidance message
* Map with current position (map may be oriented "north up" or "track up")
* Current scale

19. SCIENCE LESSON
EARTH SCIENCE & GEOGRAPHY: Earth Caches are a type of a virtual cache. They have no physical container or log book. However, Earth Caches teach the visitor something about the site. An Earth Cache is not just a scenic view or a locality. They present some lesson on how that place formed, about why that place is important scientifically or what that site can tell us about our planet.
Mystery Bug Challenge I use this activity at the end of our insect unit. Students must use the GPS receivers to find a set of 4 clues hidden around the schoolyard. The PDF download includes a student worksheet, starting clues for each round, and clue cards for the rounds. I also included a copy of a map that I use to keep track of the waypoints where the clues are hidden.

20. NUMERACY LESSON
How would you help map a wildlife refuge? GPS units and creative problem solving with the students becomes an engaging learning experience! Read more about it with the PDF Mapping the Refuge file!

21. JUST BE AWARE MORE ARE AMERICAN BASED FROM 2005/06
OTHER LESSONS
BELOW IS A LINK TO A NUMBER OF LESSONS AND RESOURCES TO USE THE GPS IN THE CLASSROOM – MOST CAN BE MODIFIED TO SUIT THE NEED.
JUST BE AWARE MORE ARE AMERICAN BASED FROM 2005/06
- The Science Spot.
- NOVA Science in the news.