TECHNOLOGY FOR TEACHING:

HANDHELD GPS AND EARTHCACHING

Dr. Heather PetcovicDepartment of Geosciences and

the Mallinson Institute for Science Education

TECHNOLOGY FOR TEACHING:

HANDHELD GPS AND EARTHCACHING

Today’s Agenda

What is EarthCaching?

What is GPS?

Do an example EarthCache

How can EarthCaching be used to

teach science (and other subjects)?

GEOCACHING

An outdoor treasuring hunting game

1. Find a geocache online

http://www.geocaching.com/

2. Navigate to the coordinates

3. Find the hidden container

4. Sign the logbook (or take/

leave a “treasure”)

EARTHCACHING VS GEOCACHING

Both are outdoor treasuring hunting game

1. Find a cache online

2. Navigate to the coordinates

3. Find the hidden

container

4. Sign the logbook

(or take/leave a

“treasure”)

3. Learn about Earth by

making observations

and answering questions

4. Log the cache online

CLICKER QUESTION

In which way is EarthCaching differentfrom GeoCaching?

A. EarthCaching requires navigating to a set of coordinates

B. In EarthCaching, the “prize” is learning about the Earth

C. In EarthCaching, you have to find a hidden container

D. EarthCaching can be done indoors

LETS GO EARTHCACHING!

http://www.earthcache.org/

AN EXAMPLE: KALAMAZOO RIVER OIL SPILL

Created by a local teacher for our 2011-2012 workshop

Requires visits to sitesin K’zoo and Battle Creek

Observe and answer questions

http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC37P79_kalamazoo-river-oil-

spill?guid=ca1b6285-24a3-4a0f-a8ce-c0ae32d416a2

HOW TO CREATE AN EARTHCACHE

1. Become a member

http://www.earthcache.org/

2. Find an interesting location near you (a lake,

beach, glacial feature, stream valley, etc.)

3. Develop a lesson that requires:

A visit to the location

Some sort of activity (making

observations, collecting

measurements, etc.)

4. Post your EarthCache

5. Answer questions from visitors

FINDING YOUR EARTHCACHE:

LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE

Latitude

lines run

horizontal

Equator is

0°

North and

South Poles

are 90°

Longitude lines, also

known as meridians,

run vertical

The Prime Meridian in

Greenwich, England is

0°

Lines range from 0°

to 180°

International Date

Line is 180°

LATITUDE AND

LONGITUDE

NAVIGATING TO YOUR EARTHCACHE:

GPS

Global Positioning System

Network of 24 satellites (with spares)

Developed by Department of Defense

Operational 24 hours/day

Available worldwide

Land, sea and air (but needs a clear view of the sky)

Works in all weather conditions

It is FREE!!

CLICKER QUESTION

In which of the following places would you best be able to use a GPS?

A. In a city with tall buildings

B. In a forest

C. In a cave underground

D. In an open field

CLICKER QUESTION

In which of the following places would your GPS not work at all?

A. In a city with tall buildings

B. In a forest

C. In a cave underground

D. In an open field

HOW GPS WORKS

Radio signal is sent between satellite and receiver

The time it takes for the signal to arrive is used to calculate the distance to the receiver

Distance = rate x time

HOW GPS WORKS

Three satellites needed for position (lat, long) and movement

Four needed for altitude

Most receivers are accurate to 15 m (about 40 feet)

Differential receivers are accurate to 3 M (10 feet)

CLICKER QUESTION

Which type of signal does a GPS use?

A. Radio

B. Microwave

C. Cellular

D. Sonic

E. Infrared

HOW TO USE A HANDHELD GPS

Garmin Etrex Legend HCX

SOME GPS TERMINOLOGY

Words to know:

Waypoint: a physical location (lat, long)

Route: a series of two or more marked waypoints (visit one at a time)

Track: locations taken automatically (hundreds to thousands)

HOW TO USE A GARMIN eTREX LEGEND HCX

Four main pages:

(Acquiring satellites)

Main Menu –access waypoints, routes, and tracks

Map – of your waypoints, track or route

Compass – for navigation

Setting a waypoint:

Press and hold the

rocker

Change the name of

the location (if you

want to, or just

remember the

waypoint number)

Navigate to OK and

press the rocker

HOW TO USE A GARMIN eTREX LEGEND HCX

Navigating to a waypoint:

Page (right button) to the Main Menu

Choose “Find” and press the rocker

Choose “Waypoints” and press the rocker

Use the rocker to scroll to the waypoint you want, then push it

On the Waypoint page, scroll to “Go To” and press the rocker

HOW TO USE A GARMIN eTREX LEGEND HCX

Navigating to a waypoint, continued:

On the Map page

Follow the line

On the Compass page

Turn until the pointer aligns with the direction line

Start walking in this direction

To stop navigating:

Press Menu (left button)

Select “Stop Navigating” and press the rocker

HOW TO USE A GARMIN eTREX LEGEND HCX

Now for the fun part!

VARIOUS USES OF GPS

What can you do with GPS & EarthCaching?

EARTHCACHING IN THE CURRICULUM

Content Area Example Learning Objectives

Scientific Practices - Formulate and test hypotheses

- Draw conclusions based on evidence

Earth Science - Observe and explain earth processes using local, real-

world examples

Environmental Science - Observe and explain interactions between humans and

the environment

Geography /

Social Studies

- Characterize and understand landforms

- Maps, coordinate systems, and navigation

Math - Make measurements and estimates

- Concepts of scale

- Graphing and simple equations

Language Arts - Reading comprehension

- Technical writing

CLICKER QUESTION

EarthCaching could be used to meet state or national standards in which areas?

A. Earth Science

B. Environmental Science

C. Geography

D. Math

E. All of these and more!

TECHNOLOGY FOR TEACHING:

HANDHELD GPS AND EARTHCACHING

Any questions?

heather.petcovic@wmich.edu