Get Up and Get OutWith Geocaching

Using the Technology to LearnSocial Studies

What is Geocaching?

• It’s an outdoor electronic scavenger hunt!• Individuals use a GPS (global position

system) unit to find a cache (hidden treasure) using longitude and latitude coordinates.

What is GPS and

How Does It Work?

• It is a satellite-based system used to locate positions anywhere on the earth.

• A GPS receiver on the ground tracks radio signals from many satellites which are orbiting the earth.

The Equipment

Reasons to Use Geocaching

• It’s fun.• It gets students out of the classroom.• Teaches location (longitude and latitude).• Learn new or review material.• Its high tech.• It enlightens and empowers students.• Promotes cooperative learning.• Promotes community connections and the potential use of

primary sources.• Promotes interdisciplinary and collaborative learning.• It brings creativity to the classroom.

CSI Bryantwww.csipwbhs.wikispaces.com

• A cross-curriculum unit in which the strategic sharing of ideas and information took place. Involved were more than 300 students in the English, social studies, math, science and Spanish departments.

• The project centered around finding the murderer of two Indian guides for the Furlorn Hope group of the Donner Party.

• Many forms of technology were used, such as GPS units, Wiki pages, digital photography, and numerous science systems.

• Students investigated the clues and prepared a dossier of all the evidence collected, analyzed, and reported.

Tuscaloosa News Staff Photo | Dusty Compton

The Worksheets (Tools)(Examples)

• Clue to leg one: Stop, but do not enter (33º 09.538N; 87º 27.175W)• Question 1: What were the two pressures leading to the war?• Clue to leg two: If this bricked up window had a view, it would know what

time the buses came through. (33º 09.524N; 87º 27.176W)

• Location: 33º09.475N 087º27.169W • Hint: The grass is green and iron can rust.

1. What was the Judiciary Act of 1789?2. How many Supreme Court justices were established by the Judiciary Act of 1789?3. What three departments were created by the first congress?4. Who were the secretaries for these three cabinets?

The Test ResultsTest Averages

0.7 0.72 0.74 0.76 0.78 0.8 0.82 0.84 0.86 0.88 0.9

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Tes

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Grades

Engaged Students

Taking It To The Outside…

• Just a sample from San Antonio

A Lesson to Remember

• “Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.”

- Dr. Randy Pausch

• Be the first penguin.

• Lisa Matherson – Paul W. Bryant High School – lmathers@tusc.k12.al.us

• Dr. Liza Wilson – The University of Alabama – ewilson@bama.ua.edu

• Robert Mayben – The University of Alabama/TIM – rmayben@bama.ua.edu

• Dr. Vivian Wright – The University of Alabama – vwright@bamaed.ua.edu

Thanks For Coming!