Geocaching and Education, part 5 - Must Have vs. Nice to Have

This is post #5 in a series of free resources for educators interested in using geocaching in education and other community groups like scouts or camps. The material is pulled directly from Educaching GPS Based Curriculum for Teachers. If interested in more resources, check out www.educaching.com.

Sincerely,

Jason Hubbard, Author

Okay. Now that you have some of the standard features explained, let’s look at the “Must Have” and the “Nice To Have” features in regard to Educaching.

There are obviously many other features you may deem as “Must Have” or “Nice To Have,” but looking at this from an Educaching point of view, these are a few that stand out. For detailed descriptions, images, and product reviews of receiver models available, do some Internet research or talk with someone who is an avid geocacher. Don't neglect to use online forums, as many have come before you going through the same process. The Geocaching in Education forum at Groundspeak is a great place to start. The time you invest now in your search for the right receivers will help you acquire the right equipment.

Geocaching and Education, part 4 - Equipment and Gear

This is post #4 in a series of free resources for educators interested in using geocaching in education and other community groups like scouts or camps. The material is pulled directly from Educaching GPS Based Curriculum for Teachers. If interested in more resources, check out www.educaching.com.

Sincerely,

Jason Hubbard, Author

Equipment and Gear, Part 1:

To begin Educaching, you must have the appropriate equipment. This section will discuss what you must have to get started. We will explore the features available on most GPS devices, and then take a look at some “must have” features versus some nice, but not necessary ones. We will present the other equipment you will need for implementing the lessons such as containers, string, tent stakes (for plotting areas of land), and measuring tapes. 

GPS Receivers

One of the most exciting parts of Educaching is working with a high-tech gadget! When compared to the price of a computer, there is a lot that a student can do with a handy, cost-efficient tool like a GPS receiver!

Just imagine the features a GPS receiver can provide: 

locations anywhere on Earth

built-in maps

altitude

speed

odometer

electronic compass

sunrise/sunset times

best hunting/fishing times

built-in geolocation games (some models)

easy computer connection for downloading waypoints

uploading routes to see where you’ve been on computer maps

and much more!

However, the GPS receiver is also the most expensive piece of gear required for Educaching, and you definitely will want more than one! Do not let this fact discourage you from doing something as innovative and exciting as Educaching. In the Acquiring GPS section you will find helpful ways to obtain enough GPS receivers for Educaching at your school. Some very functional and cost-efficient models can be purchased for approximately $100 each. Other models with more features and increased accuracy can be purchased for around $200. You can spend much more than this on a GPS receiver that has color and other options, but this type of receiver provides more than is required to work with the lesson plans.  

Let’s begin by taking a look at the features that are standard on most GPS receivers.

• Altitude – When the unit is fixed on at least 4 satellites, it can give a 3-dimensional fix on your location (latitude, longitude, and altitude). Note: When your unit is receiving signals from 3 satellites, it will only give you latitude and longitude, and reception from less than 3 satellites will not be able to triangulate your position.
• Antenna – For most units, the antenna is within the unit and may get better reception when the unit is held a certain way (ie. in a vertical or horizontal position…read your user manual to determine which is best). A higher priced model might sport a cell phone-like antenna or may have a jack for the attachment of a remote antenna, which receives better reception in a car or under heavy tree cover.
• Basemap – Generally, the higher priced receiver you acquire, the more maps that will come stored already in its memory. Basemaps provide a map background on your unit to show major cities and roads. Many low-priced GPS receivers do not have basemaps loaded, but you do not need a basemap for Educaching.
• Battery Life – This is a feature that should not be overlooked! You don’t want to always be changing batteries on your classroom set of receivers. There are some battery-saver modes on most GPS receivers to help extend battery life. Be sure you have the budget to maintain a sufficient inventory on hand of batteries. 
• Channels – Most receivers are equipped with 12 channels to help process satellite information faster.  Receivers with less than 12 channels will not be sufficient for processing the Educaching tasks.  
• Clock – This is a helpful feature to keep your students on task and help them wrap up their hunt at the appropriate time. The time can usually be set to a standard 12 hour or military 24 hour clock.
• Compass – GPS receivers give you compass information, as long as you’re moving. If a student stops walking, the electronic needle may jump around or stop moving altogether. It may be helpful to equip students with a small, inexpensive compass you can attach to the lanyard of each GPSr and teach students the basics of using one.
• Computer Compatibility – Many receivers come with a USB or PC interface cable for easy attachment to a computer. The benefits of this are numerous to Educaching. The major benefit is that you can download several waypoints for an Educache hunt into each of your students’ units quickly, prior to the hunt if you’d like. This helps students by saving time and preventing errors by incorrectly entering data into the unit. Seek out product web sites for valuable information regarding computer compatibility and be sure a unit does what you want it to, before you buy it!
• Memory – Receivers use an internal memory (like a computer) to store your saved waypoints and basemap data (if available). Memory storage space ranges from 1Mb of data (enough to store plenty of waypoints and data for Educaching, but not enough memory for basemaps) up to several gigabytes (this allows for a great deal of maps to be stored on the unit). 
• Timer – Many receivers have a start/stop timer with lap feature. This would be extremely helpful, for example, in the lesson The Estimation Olympics, where the students must time certain events during their hunt.
• Tracks – This is a feature that shows where you’ve been with your GPS receiver.  On the receiver’s screen there will be a series of dots, called trackpoints, that display the path traveled. This standard feature can be very helpful to students during Educaching as they plot perimeters during a math lesson or if they want to “walk” the trail of a shape for an art lesson.
• Waypoints/Routes – Waypoints are stored coordinates that you enter for the students to find. Basic models will hold up to 500, which is plenty. Routes are a series of waypoints that can be followed from beginning to end. So, if you want students to find educaches in a particular order, you can save a route for them in the receiver’s memory that will lead them one by one to each educache in the predetermined order.
• WAAS enabled – Some models are equipped with this feature that increases the accuracy of finding educaches that are hidden. When WAAS is enabled, you can get within 3 meters of an educache, as opposed to 15 meters. However, be aware that enabling this feature drains the unit’s battery life much more quickly.
• Waterproof – Usually there is a rating on each GPSr that identifies how water resistant the unit is. Since students are going to be using these receivers, you obviously want the most rugged and durable units you can find. At the least, you will want to acquire a protective case for each unit to extend its life. Otherwise, you may find it necessary to acquire new equipment after only one year of use.
• Waypoint Averaging – This is usually a standard on a GPS receiver and is definitely a feature you want. When you hide an educache, you must use your receiver to locate the coordinates and mark the waypoint. Sometimes the GPS satellites can give information that is a little off, so you can use waypoint averaging to “average” the information from all the satellites’ signals to give you the most accurate location of your educache. By waypoint averaging, you make it easier for your students to rely on their equipment and lower any frustration level.

Geocaching and Education, part 3 - Subject Integration

This is post #3 in a series of free resources for educators interested in using geocaching in education and other community groups like scouts or camps. The material is pulled directly from Educaching GPS Based Curriculum for Teachers. If interested in more resources, check out www.educaching.com.

Sincerely,

Jason Hubbard, Author

    
         Every subject area can be combined with GPS technology to create challenging and educational hunts for your students. Let me give you an example:

Let’s say you want to have your students read some newspaper articles in order to keep up with current events about a particular topic. Take a few articles of your choice, cut them out, and hide them as educaches. Your students form groups, take a GPS receiver, paper and a pencil, and go out to seek their group’s article. Once found, each group will read their article aloud or silently and write a brief summary of the article to later present to the class. Voila! You’ve just tied in reading, writing, social studies (or whatever subject the articles cover), geography (latitude and longitude), and technology. 

It is easy to tailor Educaching to meet the needs of your classroom.

Think about the elements of discovery available in your local area. What local history is just waiting to be explored through the use of GPS? A historic fort? An old canal or lock system? In regard to ecology, is there a river system or forest that can be mapped, explored, or discovered by your students? Is there a problem in your community that could be solved by your students and connect them to technology and their duty as a citizen? For example, in the area I teach and live, there is a natural invader which has sprung up over the past few years, known as the emerald ash borer. This mean, green beetle devastates large populations of ash trees and has been spreading across the Midwest states. Through awareness, the bug’s progress has been hampered, fortunately. What opportunities do you as a teacher see to promote further awareness to you students and the community you teach in? Could you and your students team up with the local forestry department or city employees to map out areas of the community that have been invaded by the emerald ash borer? Could your students continue to keep tabs on the situation over the years and help the city work toward a solution? Why not? The possibilities are unlimited. What areas of your curriculum could be enhanced through the use of the geocaching concept at school?

Geocaching and Education, part 2 - Vocabulary Lesson

This is post #2 in a series of free resources for educators interested in using geocaching in education and other community groups like scouts or camps. The material is pulled directly from Educaching GPS Based Curriculum for Teachers. If interested in more resources, check out www.educaching.com.
Sincerely,
Jason Hubbard, Author

Know The Lingo!

In order to embark upon this adventure, you will need to familiarize yourself with the terminology of an educacher. Here’s your language lesson:

cache – This is the first word you need to know! It is pronounced just like the word “cash.” The original word refers to some sort of a hiding place that items were temporarily stored in. Your computer has a memory cache where files are stored in order to gain quick access. In this book, we will refer to any item that is hidden as an Educache (defined below).

coordinates – These are the latitude and longitude measurements which, combined, make up a waypoint. They can be displayed a variety of ways (refer to your GPS receiver manual), but the default setting for most GPS receivers is to show you coordinates in decimal minutes, which is used for the examples in the lessons of this book. The format looks like this example: N41°33.383   W83°36.280

The N and W are your headings (North and West), the first two numbers in each set show you the degrees, and the 5 digit decimal number following is the minutes converted to decimal form. Note: The full coordinate format is degrees, minutes, and seconds

Educache – Any item or container that is hidden for students to find and directly applies to their learning.

Educaching – This is a teacher-led, student-driven hunt for learning involving GPS technology, mapping, teamwork, and adventure! The students work in teams and use latitude and longitude coordinates to find hidden puzzles, science experiments, math problems, and many other educational lessons.

geocaching – Geocaching is the original adventure sport for GPS users that originated in 2000. The sport involves people from all over the world with caches hidden all over the world. Many caches hide bits of history, puzzles, track-able items that travel the world, tiny trinkets to take and to leave, or just a log to sign that proves you found one!

GPS – This is short for the global positioning system, which is a system of 27 satellites (24 active, 3 for backup) that circulate the globe sending signals that are picked up by GPS receivers.

GPS receiver (GPSr) – A unit that can fit in the palm of your hand or on the dashboard of your vehicle that will receive signals from several of the GPS satellites and allow you to pinpoint your location (or the location of something else) anywhere on Earth. Most smartphones come equipped with an onboard, reliable GPS chipset that can be used with extremely affordable apps to find caches.

field sheet – The field sheet is what students take with them out into the schoolyard in order to record measurements, log findings, solve puzzles, and record other data relevant to the lesson. It serves as their written record and is used when they return to the classroom for debriefing of the lesson and further study.  

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student/teacher map – These maps are fundamental in implementing each lesson. An Educache can certainly be found without using a map, but will be used in these lessons to hold students accountable to the locations they find and will increase mapping skills, directional awareness, and will allow the students to create a model of distances and measurements. The teacher will use the teacher map in preparation of the activities in order to have a physical model on paper of where each Educache is located. The students will each have a copy of the student map so they can draw and log the locations and waypoints and, in many cases, create a physical representation of the data they’ve found for later study.

trackpoints – a single dot that appears on the GPS display recording user movement. 

travel bug/geocoin – These are the names of just a few of the items that can be purchased online and sent to travel wherever you want them to go. Their progress can be tracked online, with stories and pictures logged by the finders of these items as they make their journey to other states and countries. See the Beyond The Basics section for applicable uses of these items with your classroom.

waypoint – A waypoint is a marked location that is stored in the memory of your GPS receiver. When you hide an educache for your students, you will mark the waypoint in your GPS receiver and on your teacher map for reference. You will give these waypoints to your students in order to find an educache at that given location.

Geocaching and Education, part 1

This is the first post in a series of free resources for educators interested in using geocaching in education and other community groups like scouts or camps. The material is pulled directly from Educaching GPS Based Curriculum for Teachers. If interested in more resources, check out www.educaching.com.

Sincerely,

Jason Hubbard, Author

What is Educaching?

Educaching could be described as a mixture of Hide and Seek, treasure hunting, and learning all wrapped up into one experience. When you were younger and you used to play Hide and Seek, there was a thrill involved with finding other children who were hidden in secret spots and the victory won when you “spotted” them. And who of us has never had thoughts of finding “buried treasure” or finding the “X” that marks the spot? There is also a fascination, especially among children, with gadgets, gizmos, and technological wonders of our day and age, in which young people are the chief users. In many cases they can run circles around their parents and teachers in regard to the use of technologies available to us today. 

So, why not place this technology into their hands, give them a few clues to go find hidden “treasure” with it, and use these methods as a vehicle to teach your lessons and curriculum? Interested? This is what I call Educaching!

The students actually seek knowledge. They are responsible for probing and discovering what they must know. It is an incredible responsibility that is incredibly fun! Here’s a quick rundown of how it all works. You take some math problems, or a piece of historical knowledge, or a science experiment, and you hide these things somewhere on the school grounds outdoors (GPS does not work indoors…yet). Then, you use a GPS receiver to obtain signals from the satellites to give you the exact locations of the objects you have hidden. You save these locations as “waypoints,” which can be stored in your receiver’s memory. Next, you give the students the waypoints, along with a map and a GPS receiver and have them go out into the school yard and find what is hidden. When they find these objects, a.k.a. an Educache, they have a job to do. For example, they must collect data, take measurements, solve a problem, perform an experiment, or take a picture.  When the hunt is over, the students return with you indoors to discuss their discoveries, complete assessments, and extend their learning further through projects and presentations. Sound difficult? It isn’t, once you familiarize yourself with the GPS receiver and follow the instructions within this manual. You’ll be preparing your first Educaching hunt for your students in no time!

Common Core Math...What do you think?

You'd probably be living in a cave if you're in math education and have not perused the Common Core. These standards open new pathways within our grade levels and bring new challenges. As we see the future path of our teaching unfold with these standards, is there room for educaching? I say there's always room for it! Let's start the discussion here. How do you see these ideas take shape in a GPS adventure with your class?

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Crime Scene Investigator...Educaching style!

The great folks at www.sciencespot.net put together a Learning with GPS section. Among many great tried and true lesson plans, there is one on investigation called CSI Adventure. Using the premise of geocaching already ties in the unique nature of hunting for learning, so this lesson creates a perfect marriage of students becoming real detectives as they actually search for clues. The lesson and clue cards are presented below or you can visit the link above to find the documents separately, along with a helpful power point file.

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