I have been tasked with giving a lecture/presentation about geocaching to 30 Air Civil Patrol group.
The kids are Tweens. Does anybody have a link to go for handouts, visual aids and such? I don't know if any even have a GPS. I realize that i need to start with basics...like what is a satelitte orbit, how does a GPS work, how to find clues etc. But I was hoping someone here knew of a great website to go to for this project. OR maybe someone has already done this project and I can cheat and use thier lesson plan :) The presentation is for 45 minutes. TIA

deniserows
and letterboxes but has never geocached

I realize this doesn't help with your request, but if you have never geocached why would you even consider giving a presentation on it?!? How much credibility as a knowledgeable resource will you have when someone asks you how many you have found and you answer zero?

If you are not a member of the GeoCaching web site, try this URL:

http://www.geocaching.com/faq/

Hope this is of value to you

VanMan

Perhaps you could ask for help from cachers in your area. If you make a request on the geocaching.com forums, you may get a volunteer or two to come and share info and help with demonstrations for the kids. A lot of cachers keep camo'd containers on hand and could bring those to show as well as other tools and resources.

Besides that, you really should involve the cachers in your area when you are going to teach others how to find their caches. If the tables were turned, we'd want the cacher to contact letterboxers and get their permission/involvement.

Just my opinion,
Tee

Here's a link to a lesson plan on the NPS site about caching (which just makes me laugh every time I think of it)

http://www.nps.gov/cure/forteachers/lp_globes.htm

And, I'd like to add that if you've never cached, you should at least go through the motions before you try to teach a bunch of middle schoolers. Believe me...they're merciless. :-) You'll feel much better prepared if you have your own experience to back up your presentation, since it's very similar to boxing, but there are some differences....namely the technologial aspect.

JPMcD

Here are a bunch of link on using GPS in a classroom setting. I don't know if anything here will be helpful, but it's worth a shot! :)

http://www.sciencespot.net/Pages/classgpslsn.html

Carianna of GG

<quote/>if you have never geocached why would you even consider giving a presentation on it?!?How much credibility as a knowledgeable resource will you have when someone asks you how many you have found and you answer zero?

GOOD QUESTIONS!
I have until June to learn how to geocache.
I am a 54 year old woman with many skills, teaching being one of them. Sailing my own 60' Wooden Schooner on the Pacific Ocean with a sextant to shoot the stars with being another. (sextant=old fashioned GPS).
Going into the forest and taking a deer with a bow and arrow and using my GPS to get back home safely without the deer,or me, becoming bear food, another.
I am fairly confident that i can find all of the geocaches on this small island in Alaska where I live. I also hope to have more "credibility" and knowledge and yet another skill to add to my vast and growing repertoire by June ;)
I have been asked to be a presenter as they know I letterbox. And as a lot of letterboxes have realized people get the 2 confused sometimes.




Thank you to those that provided me with links.

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I am a 54 year old woman with many skills, teaching being one of them. ... with a sextant to shoot the stars with being another. (sextant=old fashioned GPS).

You go girl!

The sextant doesn't remember where you have been or leave a trail of bread crumbs for you to follow back home. It can't download all the geocaches in your map area, the sextant doesn't require any bateries either.

I read this post to my hubby and he says I'm supposed to say "You Go Girl"! He wants to come visit you now.

Mama Bear
I would never eat you or your deer!

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Perhaps you have an opportunity here (also bear-free, which is nice.) Why not document your learning process over the next few months, and make that the structure of your presentation? Then the class could "learn" with you.

Ya know... that's a really good idea! I like that type of class and I know my tween does too.

<quote/>Why not document your learning process over the next few months, and make that the structure of your presentation? Then the class could "learn" with you.

Most Excellent Idea!!!
I will start with all the homework I did last night on the GC website. I will write copious notes on my adventures this morning whilst trying to find the GC. Good thing we didn't get the blizzard that is in the forecast. The 6 GC on top of 2300' plus mountains that still have snow on them will have to wait till spring thaw. LOL
AND...I got my spousal unit to go with me. I can barely get him to go LBing but I guess GC involves a "tool" so he's excited. Not too mention one of the GC here has a Soduko as part of the game plan and he loves to solve those.
THANX for all the great ideas.

So it's been about a month, how goes the search, and how is your lesson coming along?

Libby

Thanx for asking. i have found 7 boxes? Attempted a couple but the snow came. i have planted 1 that has been found twice. I have already made 2 more to plant soon.

Out of the 29 boxes here i will soon have increased the box count by 10%. LOL its a small place.
I have also discovered of the 7 or so people that do GC here i know all of them. LOL like i said its a small place.
As for the lesson plans for the tweens i have decided that i am going to give an overview of both GC and LBing. i don't want the kids to feel bad that they can't "play" because they don't have an expensive toy to play the game with. Hence the LBing aspect. i will take them LBing and do 1 GC and let them experience both. I have planted many LB's around and have 2 more series to put out when the snow thaws. One of the series is very educational about WWII and how important this area was in regards to fending off enemy attackers. i made it in conjunction with the State Park naturalist. Its great! i will probably take the kids on that one and there is a GC is the same park. One trip 2 hobbies.

Disclaimer: i will probably offend with this comment.
After doing both CG and LBing, i find LBing to be much more of a challenge. My brain is engaged more. Poking around with sticks and looking at an electronics constantly doesn't have the FUN factor for me. i will still GC here as there are no other LB's here except those that i planted.
i hope i answered your question.

<qoute>After doing both CG and LBing, i find LBing to be much more of a challenge. My brain is engaged more. Poking around with sticks and looking at an electronics constantly doesn't have the FUN factor for me.

I agree. We also do both and I like Letterboxing a lot more!

Woodsong

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Poking around with sticks and looking at an electronics constantly doesn't have the FUN factor for me.

That's where you need a partner that will do some of the looking at electronics for you!

Red Soup

i do have a partner who does the staring at the electronics thing. i thought it would get him into LbBing more. After GCing with me HE decided he liked the LBing more too. whodathunk?

I don't think I like one better than the other, they are different enough that I appreciate each for what they are. Well, it works for me anyway.

Red Soup