2012 3–6th grade: transportation location activities · location unit lesson 1 of 3: geographic...

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3–6th Grade: TRANSPORTATION LOCATION 2012 GREEN GUIDE TRANSPORTATION UNITS Transportation Location: three lessons, history/science (3-6) Pollution and Evolution: one lesson, science (6-8) 3-D Bike Maps: one lesson, science (6-8) Marketing Strategy and Transportation: two lessons, health/art (6-12) The Cost of Transportation: one lesson, science (6-12) What Do I Stand For?: one lesson (6-12) Travel Journal: three lessons (6-12) History of Transportation: two lessons (9–12) Find our curriculum online at : http://www.saferoutestoschools.org/green_curriculum.html

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Page 1: 2012 3–6th Grade: TransporTaTion LocaTion Activities · LOCATION UNIT LeSSON 1 Of 3: GEOGRAPHIC HISTORY OF THE BICYCLE 3–5th Grade. 20 minutes. Classroom setting. Using either

3–6th Grade: TransporTaTion LocaTion

2012

ActivitiesGreen Guide TransporTaTion uniTsTransportation Location: three lessons, history/science (3-6)

Pollution and Evolution: one lesson, science (6-8)

3-D Bike Maps: one lesson, science (6-8)

Marketing Strategy and Transportation: two lessons, health/art (6-12)

The Cost of Transportation: one lesson, science (6-12)

What Do I Stand For?: one lesson (6-12)

Travel Journal: three lessons (6-12)

History of Transportation: two lessons (9–12)

Find our curriculum online at : http://www.saferoutestoschools.org/green_curriculum.html

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UNIT INTRODUCTIONTRANSPORTATION LOCATION3–6th Grades. Classroom setting.

Using Latitude and Longitude coordinates is a fundamental skill students need when navigating maps. These activities combine mapping skills with historical information about transportation. They can be used separately or in conjunction with each other.

TRANSPORTATION LOCATION

Geographic History of the Bicycle (3-5) engages students as they find locations on their own globe. Guided by a PowerPoint presentation, the basics of Longitude and Latitude are explained before students answer historical bicycle trivia by finding coordinates.

Bermuda Triangulation (4-6) delves deeper into plotting coordinates and applies scientific data sets and reasoning to the problem “Is the Bermuda Triangle Real?” Next students use this information to compare and contrast claims about historical and current modes of transportation.

Geo-Caching Field Trip (3-6) uses GPS satellites to hone in on specific, local longitude and latitude coordinates while participating in the high-tech treasure hunt called Geo-Caching! This trip can be combined with our walking or cycling field trip.

Safe Routes to Schools is a program of the Transportation Authority of Marin.

Part of the Marin Safe Routes to Schools Curriculum. Engaging lessons K thru 12 that include applicable state educational standards.

This curriculum was created by James Sievert, Shumit DasGupta and Gwen Froh and edited by Wendi Kallins and Connie Breeze.

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TRANSPORTATION LOCATION

TRANSPORTATION LOCATION UNITLeSSON 1 Of 3:

GEOGRAPHIC HISTORY OF THE BICYCLE3–5th Grade. 20 minutes. Classroom setting.

Using either globes or maps, students answer questions in the presentation by finding specific landforms and cities given the longitude and latitude coordinates. The presentation highlights interesting historical facts regarding bicycling.

Example: In which city was the bicycle invented? 49 North, 20 east. (Paris, france).

OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to:

• Identifylongitudeandlatitudelinesonaglobe.

• Locateacityonaglobeusinglongitudeandlatitudecoordinates.

• Recallabenefitandhistoricalfactregardingbicycling.

CA 4th Grade History-Social Science Standards

4.1 Studentsdemonstrateanunderstandingof thephysicalandhumangeographicfeatures thatdefineplacesandregionsinCalifornia.

1. Explainandusethecoordinategridsystem oflatitudeandlongitudetodeterminethe absolutelocationsofplacesinCalifornia andonEarth.

2. DistinguishbetweentheNorthandSouth Poles;theequatorandtheprimemeridian; thetropics;andthehemispheres,using coordinatestoplotlocations.

MATERIALS

• Computer with History of the Bicycle PowerPoint presentation (available from SR2S website) and projector.

• Inflatable globes or maps with latitude and longitude lines and major cities marked.

(Amazon has inflatable globes with world cities for less than $5.)

• “Active Transportation Cards”: a set of 8 large images (4 car, 4 bikes)

-images depict air pollution, exercise, traffic, and fun for both bikes and cars

VOCABULARY

Longitude: The North/South lines creating the global positioning grid.

Latitude: The West/east lines creating the global positioning grid.

North and South Poles: The Northern and Southern most points of the planet.

Equator: The center line that is directly between North and Southern latitudes.

Prime Meridian: The center line that is directly between east and West longitudes

Tropics: The area around the equator to latitude 23 degrees North and 23 degrees South.

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PROCEdURE

Prepare presentation and projector.

1. Introduce yourself as an instructor for the Teens Go Green program.

• Briefly highlight your relevant background and experience.

• Teens Go Green is the Middle/High School program for Safe Routes to Schools (SR2S).

SR2S teaches classes in over 50 Marin schools K thru 12.

SR2S is a program of Transportation Authority of Marin.

• Thank the class/teacher for having you as a guest.

• Briefly overview the rest of the lesson.

2. Begin “Geographic History of Bicycles” presentation.

• Using the “Active Transportation Cards,” discuss benefits of biking

• We will now explore the geographic history of the bike

i. Bikes have been used around the world for over 100 years.

ii. Before we can use the globes, we must learn how to read them.

• Introduction to principles of longitude and latitude

• Distribute globes or maps. Partner students if supplies are limited.

• Call upon students to provide the location that answers each question.

3. Conclusion: Review key objectives.

• Longitude and latitude are lines that create a grid to locate positions on earth.

• Key lines include the Equator, Poles, Prime Meridian, and the Tropics.

• Benefits of cycling enjoyed around the world for over 100 years.

GEOGRAPHIC HISTORY OF THE BICYCLE

TRANSPORTATION LOCATION

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TRANSPORTATION LOCATION

TRANSPORTATION LOCATION UNITLESSON 2 OF 3:

BERMUdA TRIANGULATION4–6th Grade. 30 minutes. Classroom setting.

Students answer the question “Is the Bermuda Triangle Real?” The answer is found by locating the “Bermuda Triangle” and then plotting 200 years of notable crashes on a world map.

Each crash features additional information used to compare and contrast how transportation modes, routes, and technology has changed. The activity closes by using empirical data to “bust” this pseudo-scientific claim.

OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to:

• Gather and interpret data from a graph.

• Locate longitude and latitude coordinates on a map.

• Critical Thinking: Apply historical data to the Bermuda Triangle legend and evaluate its feasibility with processed data.

CA 4th Grade Science Standards

6a. Differentiate observation from inference (interpretation) and know scientists’ explanations come partly from what they observe and partly from how they interpret their observations.

6f. Follow a set of written instructions for a scientific investigation.

MATERIALS

“The Bermuda Triangle” Lab packet/data sets, including:

• Craft Disappearances and Crashes: page 8

• “Mythbusters” student Introduction page: page 10

• Maps of both hemispheres: www.eduplace.com/ss/maps/world.html

VOCABULARY

Global Positioning System, GPS: Satellites that track electronic devices using longitude and latitude.

Longitude: The North/South lines creating the global positioning grid.

Latitude: The West/East lines creating the global positioning grid.

Bermuda Triangle: The section of Atlantic Ocean that legend claims to be prone to boat and plane crashes.

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TRANSPORTATION LOCATION

ACTIVITY: BERMUdA TRIANGULATION

PROCEdURE

Prepare presentation and projector.

1. Introduce yourself as an instructor for the Teens Go Green program.

• Briefly highlight your relevant background and experience.

• Teens Go Green is the Middle/High School program for Safe Routes to Schools (SR2S).

SR2S teaches classes in over 50 Marin schools K thru 12.

SR2S is a program of Transportation Authority of Marin.

• Thank the class/teacher for having you as a guest.

• Briefly overview the rest of the lesson.

2. Who has heard of the Bermuda Triangle? Call upon a few students to explain.

• The triangle is a real place between 3 places (Bermuda, Miami, Puerto Rico).

• Do you think that the fabled Bermuda Triangle causes crashes?

3. Distribute materials. Partner if supplies are limited.

• World maps (north and south hemisphere)

• Student work-sheets

• Table of crash locations

4. Using the students’ work-sheet as a guide, have students locate and draw on the map:

The Bermuda Triangle

Locations of various crashes

• Does technology ensure safety? (The Luddite argument.)

Note Graphing Luddite: Students may have small variations depending on what Luddite Level they assigned each form of transportation. The trend should be that the more complicated the technology the more potential there is for fatalities, both in absolute number and in scale.

Another point of discussion should be that this is simply a conclusion gathered from the data they have at hand. There may be other factors at play, different data set, or methods of processing the data. The conclusion may not reveal a definitive answer to the question of safety.

• Observation and inference: Can we know for certain the Triangle doesn’t exist?

5. Conclude the lesson by reviewing the key objectives.

• Using longitude and latitude we found the location of the triangle and crashes.

• Based upon these crashes, the Bermuda Triangle is “Busted.”

• Does technology always imply safety in transportation?

Northern Hemisphere

NORTHAMERICA

SOUTHAMERICA

ASIA

EUROPE

AFRICA

PACIFICOCEAN

ATLANTICOCEAN

INDIANOCEAN

15°N

105°W 105°E

120°W 120°E

135°W 135°

W

150°W 150°

E

165°W 165°

E180°

90°W 90°E

75°E

60°E

45°E

30°E

15°E

15°W

30°W

45°W

60°W

75°W

30°N

45°N

60°N

75°N

National boundary

LEGEND

Southern Hemisphere

SOUTHAMERICA

ANTARCTICA

AFRICA

AUSTRALIA

ASIA

PACIFICOCEAN

ATLANTICOCEAN

INDIANOCEAN

15°S

75°W 75°E

60°W 60°E

45°W45

°E

30°W 30°E

15°W 15°E0°

90°W 90°E

105°E

120°E

135°E

150°E

165°E

165°

W

150°

W

135°

W

120°W

105°W

180°

30°S

45°S

60°S

75°S

National boundary

LEGEND

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ACTIVITY: BERMUdA TRIANGULATION

TRANSPORTATION LOCATION

RESOURCES

SS ARTIC: Steamer http://maritime-connector.com/the-mysterious-ship-disappearances/

Mary Celeste: Brigantine Sailboat http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Celeste#Discovery

U-701: German U-boat http://www.divehatteras.com/U-701.html

I-14: Japanese submarine/aircraft carrier http://www.physorg.com/news177340861.html

USS Thresher- Nuclear powered US Sub http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Thresher_(SSN-593)

Flight 19: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_19

Pilatre de Rozier http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Fran%C3%A7ois_Pil%C3%A2tre_de_Rozier

Free Life http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Free_Life

Air France 447: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_France_Flight_447

Amelia Earhart: http://www.ameliaearhart.com/about/bio.html

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CRAFT dISAPPEARANCES/CRASHES

TRANSPORTATION LOCATION

Pilatre de Rozier/ Roziere balloon:Pilatre was a French aviator, and one of the first casualties of the new hot-air balloons. His craft was actually two balloons, one filled with hot air, the other with volatile Hydrogen gas. The hydrogen balloon exploded in mid-flight, causing him to crash into the ocean.

SS Arctic, 1854The SS Arctic sank September 27, 1854, after colliding French steamer SS Vesta in the fog. The captain of the Arctic thought it would be safer to leave the site and steam toward land. The captain of the SS Vesta was upset that the Arctic had left and not helped them. The French vessel started to sink. The passengers and crew threw everything in the boat into the water, and the French vessel started to float.

When the French vessel reached land, they learned that the Arctic did not make it back.

[Continued on next page]

Name Year of Disappearance

Type of vessel Latitude Longitude Luddite Level

Number of Passengers

Number of fatalities

Percentage of fatalities

Pilatre de Rozier/ Roziere balloon

1785 Hot-Air Balloon 50.5 N 1.7 W 2 2

SS Arctic 1854 Steamer 47.8 50.7 W 393 332

Mary Celeste 1872 Sail ship

(brigantine)

38.5 N 17.3 W 10 10 presumed

dead, never

found

Amelia Earhart/Electra

1937 Plane 6 S 176.5 E 2 2 presumed

dead

U-701 1942 German

Submarine

35.5 N 75.4 S 43 36

Flight 19 1945 Navy Aircraft 29 N 79 W 27 27

I-14 1946 Japanese Sub/

Aircraft Carrier

21.2 N 158 W 20 0

USS Thresher 1963 US Nuclear Sub 41.7 N 61 W 129 129

Free Life 1970 Hot-Air Balloon 54 N 56 W 3 3

Air France 447 2009 Commercial

Airliner

3 N 30.5W 228 228

K-141-Kursk 2000 Russian Nuclear

Sub

74 N 33 E 118 118

Winged Bicycle 1921 Bicycle 39 N 90 W 1 0

Safety Bicycle 1892 Bicycle 40 N 40 E 2 1

Kalindi/Purushottam Express

1995 Passenger Train 27 N 78.5 2200 358

Titanic 1912 Cruise Ship 42 N 50.5 W 2227 1522

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TRANSPORTATION LOCATION

Mary Celeste:The Mary Celeste was discovered on December 4, 1872, in the Atlantic Ocean. It was floating, apparently abandoned –except for one lifeboat- despite the fact that the weather was fine and the Mary Celeste was in excellent condition. She had over six months’ worth of food and water on board, and her cargo was virtually untouched- all of the personal belongings of passengers and crew were still in place, including valuables. The crew was never seen or heard from again. Their disappearance is often cited as the greatest maritime mystery of all time.

Amelia Earhart and the Electra:In an attempt to become the first pilot to circumnavigate the globe, Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan disappeared with less than 7,000 miles to go over Howland Island.

No evidence of the Electra was ever found.

U-701(German U-boat):One of many German submarines dispatched to do battle on the East Coast of the US, this was sunk by depth charges from an American bomber. Of the 43 German sailors who escaped the craft, only 7 survived the two days in the ocean waiting for rescue.

Flight 19:

Five Navy Avenger aircraft were on a routine training mission above the Atlantic when radio communications stopped- they were never heard from again. A rescue airplane dispatched to find them also never came back. These disappearances fueled the Bermuda Triangle legend much more than any other.

I-14 (Japanese Submarine):This high-tech Japanese Submarine could carry two aircraft when submerged. It is widely believed the US intentionally sunk these in order to prevent the technology from getting in the hands of the Germans.

USS Thresher:One of the first Nuclear powered submarines, this ship imploded about a half-mile under the sea, and is the reason that many more safety measures were implemented by the US Navy afterward.

Free Life:Attempting to cross the Atlantic Ocean, this balloon hit a storm on day 2. The radioed that they were ditching the craft and requested a search-and-rescue team, but they were never found.

Air France 447:This commercial airliner disappearance- called the worst in French Aviation history- is significant because of the shroud of mystery surrounding it. Having happened so recently, is was astounding that the plane vanished with absolutely no warning- no distress call, indication of trouble- nothing.

Winged Bicycle This stock footage is isn’t sourced- it simply shows one of the early failures of attempted heavier than air flight. The pilot- who ends up on fire near the end- was a rather remarkable choice, as he seems a bit heavier than most. The video is believed to be from the early 1921.

Safety Bicycle:In 1894, Frank Lenz was completing the first ‘around the world’ tour on the first ‘safety’ bicycle- a bicycle with pneumatic tires. He was a correspondent for “Outing” magazine. He disappeared and was never heard from again. Shortly after, Outing magazine sent William Sachtleben- another giant of the cycling sport- to go find out what happened.

Kalindi/Purushottam Express: The accident happened in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh; both trains were bound for the Indian capital, Delhi. The first train, the “Kalindi Express” from Kanpur struck a cow but was unable to proceed as its brakes were damaged. It was then struck from behind at a speed of 70 mph by the Purushottam Express. Three carriages of the Kanpur express were destroyed; the engine and front two carriages of the Puri train were derailed. Most of the 2200 passengers aboard the two trains were asleep at the time of the accident.

CRAFT dISAPPEARANCES/CRASHES

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MYTH #1: The Bermuda Triangle- Fact or Fiction?

MYTH #2: High-tech/more machinery = less dangerous

Land of the Lost. The Devil’s Triangle. The Twillight Zone. The Port of Missing Ships. The Hoodoo Sea.

All kinds of paranormal activities have been reported to take place in this triangular slice of the Atlantic Ocean. Planes are said to loose power and become uncontrollable, compasses spin wildly, The sky has been reported to glow white and thick- Christopher Columbus even wrote about the strange phenomena he witness from on board the deck of the Santa Maria.

Still, the stuff of legend often turns out to be just that- legend. Half-truths dressed up in fantastic narrative. The questions we want to pose are these:

1. Is the Bermuda Triangle real? If it is, what might be the causes of wrecks, and would they affect all types of transportation equally?

2. Does the type of transportation matter? If something is more high-tech (and usually less “green”) does that mean that it is safer?

3. How can we represent data that might help us learn something?

TRANSPORTATION LOCATION

MYTHBUSTERS

Question 1: IS THE TRIANGLE REAL?

We do know of many Historical disappearances. We can chart them out and see how close they come into the proximity of the Triangle, and with what sort of frequency. First, we need to know where the triangle is. The three points of the Triangle are at these coordinates:

1) 25.5 N, 80 W

2) 32 N, 65 W

3) 18N, 65 W

Using this information, draw the Bermuda Triangle on your map of the Northern hemisphere.

From here, we have a list of ship/plane/balloon wreck from the last few centuries. Plot and label them on both maps, and answer the following question:

Based upon the data you have plotted, would you say the Bermuda Triangle is real?

Why or Why not? Explain:

NAME: DATE

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TRANSPORTATION LOCATION

Questions 2 and 3: THE LUDDITE LEvEL

We want to know if the type of transportation matters, both in terms of it’s Carbon footprint and of it’s design complexity. Fortunately, the two tend to be interlinked. To understand this, we need to know what a Luddite is, and take a look at some modern-day Luddites, like the Amish and the Mennonites.

The Luddites were members of a movement in early 19th century England that opposed the use of unskilled labor in factories, particularly with Loom machines. Today, a ‘Luddite’ is someone who opposes the use of what they consider ‘unnecessary technology.’ In the past, it had a twinge of negative connotation to it, but lately it has gained popularity as local/simple/ecological ways of living are being embraced.

We are going to assign a “Luddite Level” (1-5) to each of the various forms of transportation in our lab. We will then calculate how dangerous each transportation method is by both total fatalities and percentage of fatalities in all the wrecks.

Luddite Level:

1. No or very low Carbon Footprint, simple machine design (no or very little CO2 produced). Example: Sailing ship

2. Simple design, perhaps one motor used. Example: Steamboat

3. More complex design, more than one physical factor to overcome. Example: Motorized planes

4. Increasingly complex design, much higher Carbon footprint. Example: Submarines

5. Very complex design, very high Carbon footprint or potential for disastrous environmental impact. Example: Nuclear submarines, commercial airliners, jet planes, cruise ships.

Assign each one of the wrecks a ‘Luddite Level.” As well, using the total # of passengers and the # of fatalities, calculate a “% of fatalities” figure for each wreck, using the following equation:

Number of fatalities: Total passengers x 100 = % fatalities

Do this for each wreck.

Graphing:

Put together two graphs. Both graphs will have the Luddite Levels across the X axis (1-5).

Graph one should be simply the total # of fatalities in each category.

Graph two should be the AVERAGE of all the “% fatalities” in each category.

MYTHBUSTERS CONT.

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TRANSPORTATION LOCATION

TRANSPORTATION LOCATION UNITLESSON 3 OF 3:

FIELd-TRIP: GEOCACHING5–12th Grade. 30-60 minutes. Outdoor setting.

Utilizing the easy access to GPS (found on every smart-phone) we use the geosynchronous orbiting satellites to participate in a global treasure hunt. Bike or walk to specific local longitude and latitude points to find GeoCache treasures!

OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to:

• Use coordinates in conjunction with GPS to find Geo-Caches.

• Work with classmates in cooperative problem solving.

• Participate in physical activity, active transportation!

MATERIALS

• Smart phone(s) with Geocaching “App.”

• Signed permission/waivers for off-campus field trip.

Biking Trip:

• Extra bikes and helmets for a dozen students.

• Bike tools (patches, pump, metric hex & adjustable wrenches, band-aids)

Optional

• Computers with internet access

• Additional hand-held GPS devices: Garmins, Ipads, others

PROCEdURE

Global Positioning System or “GPS” is standard on smart-phones and many other devices. Maintained by the US Government, GPS uses satellites in orbit to locate your latitude and longitude anywhere on the planet where your signal is unobstructed.

In Geo-Caching registered users around the world leave small hidden treasure boxes in public places. Using GPS coordinates, smart phones locate the object on a map. Once at the location a hint helps you find the object (GPS is only precise to a few feet). Often the treasure is cleverly disguised or hidden, such as a fake rock beside the trail or a magnet under a metal bench. Inside the box is a scroll to sign and often a trinket or token to exchange.

A simple GeoCache primer can be watched here: http://youtu.be/-4VFeYZTTYs, or see “Organizing a GeoCache” on page 11.

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TRANSPORTATION LOCATION

PROCEdURE CONT.

Requirements to be completed prior to the field trip:

• Completed one of the previous Transportation Location Activities

• Off-campus permission and/or waivers

• Geo-Cache Application for smart phone (multiple versions available)

• Nearby Geo-Caches to find (you can make your own if none are available)

• Map out a suitable route, noting caches and space to gather.

• Test run the “App” and find the caches to ensure they exist.

For biking:

• Students bring bikes and helmets. (We can supply a dozen extras.)

• Bike tools: pump, patches, spare tube, hex keys (allen wrenches), band-aids, and adjustable crescent wrench

1. Introduce yourself as an instructor for the Teens Go Green program.

• Briefly highlight your relevant background and experience.

• Teens Go Green is the Middle/High School program for Safe Routes to Schools (SR2S).

SR2S teaches classes in over 50 Marin schools K thru 12.

SR2S is a program of Transportation Authority of Marin.

• Thank the class/teacher for having you as a guest.

• Briefly overview the field trip.

2. If biking, every student must pass the Bike and Helmet Check before riding.

• Helmets must be properly adjusted.

Chin strap snug

Level on head

Shake test (should not fall off when head shakes)

• Bikes must pass the ABC check. Students raise hands if needing assistance.

“A” is for “air”. Squeeze tires, they should not be “squishy”.

“B” is for “brakes”. Squeeze the brakes, they should stop the wheel.

“C” is for “check”. Make a final decision, does the bike work?

ACTIVITY: FIELd-TRIP: GEOCACHING

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TRANSPORTATION LOCATION

PROCEdURE CONT.

3. Setting Expectations. Despite being off-campus, school rules still apply.

• Rules for Bike Field-Trip. You Must:

Obey traffic laws (stop signs, right side of road).

Ride exactly where the lead instructor rides.

Pay attention, watch out for others, “heads-up.”

Leave a “bubble” of space between bikes, do not ride close to anything.

Stay with your group, notify an instructor if you need assistance.

• Rules for Walking Field-Trip. You Must:

Stay on the sidewalk until directed otherwise.

Watch out for cars or other pedestrians, “heads-up.”

Stay with your group, notify an instructor if you need assistance.

4. Organize the hunt. Small groups work best to find a single Cache.

• Break into small groups (12 or less).

Each group needs at least one instructor to lead with the GeoCache App.

Separate and stage the groups in an open area.

• Stagger the groups 8 minutes apart to avoid conflicting hunts.

Groups should always remain distinct, never gathering together.

The previous group must replace the Cache before the next group arrives.

5. Find the GeoCache Treasures. Walk bikes while leaving or entering the school campus.

• Arriving at the destination, find a suitable place to gather.

• Set the boundaries of where students are allowed to look.

• Using the App, read the name, size, and location/hint regarding the Cache.

Try to show a few students the map view.

• If needed, after a few minutes start to give hints such as “hot or cold.”

• Upon finding the Cache, gather the students to open the “treasure box” and sign.

• Quickly replace the Cache (keep a look-out for the next arriving group).

6. Conclusion: When returning to school have the students gather one more time.

• Walk bikes on campus. Return borrowed helmets and bikes.

• Either debrief each group individually or wait for whole group.

• GeoCaching uses GPS satelites to find exact latitude and longitude.

• Maps are increasingly being used on electronic GPS devices.

ACTIVITY: FIELd-TRIP: GEOCACHING

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TRANSPORTATION LOCATION

ACTIVITY: FIELd-TRIP: GEOCACHING

PROCEdURE CONT.

• Food for thought:

How did people use maps before GPS?

Besides treasure hunting, how else can we use GPS?

Should people still learn how to read a paper map, or just GPS?

ORGAnizinG A GEOCACHE

Most likely you have a GeoCache nearby your school. This section will explain how to locate a Cache and create your own Cache.

The app will guide you through the first few steps. The home screen should have an option to “Find Nearby Geo-Caches.” Based upon your location, a number of Caches should appear. Relocate the map to your desired location and search to “Find Caches Here”. If no Caches appear try zooming out.

If no suitable GeoCache is found you can create a Cache yourself. This requires registering. Instructions for creating a Cache can be found at: www.geocaching.com/about/hiding.aspx

AdvAnCEd COnCEPTS OF GEOCACHinG-GPS

1. Geosynchronous Orbit of satellites

2. Using Google Earth and Google Map applications to create maps

3. Finer latitude/longitude distinctions (minutes, seconds, etc.)

4. Cardinal directions and conversion from English units to Metric units

5. Triangulation

EnGliSH lAnGuAGE lEARnERS

Adapt this lesson for English learners by previewing the key vocabulary prior to the lesson with picture cards.

RESOURCES

You can see an example of a Google/Geo-cache map we created for a Safe Routes to School Field trip here.

More on geocaching/main site: http://www.geocaching.com/

Geosynchronous orbit: http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Dictionary/GEO_ORBIT/DI146.htm

Triangulation: http://www.qrg.northwestern.edu/projects/vss/docs/navigation/1-what-is-triangulation.html