Geocaching for Teens

presented byJennifer Dudley and Priscilla Suarez

The intentions of this program are to help you provide

teens with a background on the popular sport of

Geocaching, which is a modern hide-and-seek game savvy teens are sure to love.

Hide and Seek

Geocaching is a sporting activity that takes place outdoors and uses a Global Positioning System (GPS)

receiver to hide and seek containers (called "geocaches") anywhere in

the world.

GPS Navigation Device

In civilian terms, a GPS device obtains signals from a GlobalPositioning System for many purposes, such as for:

- maps- walking or driving directions to random locations

- traffic conditions- popular destinations (restaurants, stores, etc.)

- alternative routes

Types of GPS Devices

Hand Held ReceiversOutdoor ReceiversSports ReceiversCell Phone GPS

Geocaching Apps for GPS Enabled Phones

Geocaching Toolkit iCGT

Groundspeak

Seek CacheGPS Kit

Geocaching Websites

Geocaching is similar to…

• benchmarking • trigpointing • orienteering

• treasure-hunting • letterboxing • waymarking

Geocaches

Geocaches are usually waterproof containers containing a log book and a “treasure”. The “treasure” is not actually something the finder will keep. It is sometimes of sentimental value to the owner and has a story behind it.

Typical Geocaches

• Traditional: Must include a logbook of some sort.

• Multi-cache: After finding the first cache, the seeker will find coordinates for other caches…a log book will be found at the last cache.

• Mystery: The seeker will have to solve a puzzle to find the coordinates of this cache.

Some Geocaching TermsBYOP: Bring Your Own Pencil to fill out the logbook.

Cache: Short for geocache.

CITO: Cache In Trash Out...an environmental approach to geocaching, cleaning up the are you have visited.

Ground Zero (GZ): When you have reached the location of a cache.

Muggle: Taken from the Harry Potter series, refers to someone who’s not a geocacher.

TFTC: Thanks For The Cache. Usually written into the logbook when a geocacher enjoyed the cache.

Books to Share

Books to Show or Booktalk

Road Trip Snacks

Crafts: Personalized Geocaches

Provide teens with old containers (Pringles pop cans, peanut butter jars, etc) and have them decorate with glitter, permanent markers, and tempera paint.

Crafts: Log Books

Decorate notebooks using old magazines, construction paper, glue, glitter, paint,

etc. These books will serve as their personal log book / journal for keeping track of

their geocaching experiences.

Web-Based Activities

• BookCrossing.com <http://www.bookcrossing.com/>Catch and release books from all over the world at this online community.

• Google Sight Seeing <http://www.googlesightseeing.com/> Because most of us can’t afford to travel all over the world, this site provides us with visual images recommended by other Google earth users.

• Where’s George <http://www.wheresgeorge.com/>This is a fun website where anyone can log on to track where their money has come and gone.

Guest Speakers

- Local Geocachers- Chamber of Commerce

- Nature Centers- Local Traveling Agencies- Librarians to book talkrelated books available

at the library.

Songs and Audio Recordings

• “Born to be Wild” on Easy Rider by Steppenwolf• “Drive My Car” on Rubber Soul by The Beatles • “Interstate Love Song” on Purple by Stone Temple Pilots• “I’ve Been Everywhere” on Unchained by Johnny Cash• “Slow Ride” on Fool for the City by Foghat

Want a copy of this presentation?

It will be included in the 2012 Texas Teens Read Manual.

Our emails:jdudley@mcallen.netpsuarez@mcallen.net