GPS Marks the Spot: Mapping Community Treasures

Authors: Mal Cutaiar, Kym Duffina, Bryan Gottlob, Kate Messner, Barbara Napper

Grade Level: Grade 7 (easily adaptable for other levels, assumes students have prerequisite skills of library research and application of math concepts)

Overview :
The purpose of this project is to challenge students to use a variety of skills in a dynamic, real-life setting and to connect students’ classroom learning with the resources in their community. The unit focuses on a geography-based treasure hunt activity called geocaching.

Geocaching is a game invented by users of GPS navigational systems – a worldwide treasure hunt using latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates along with encrypted clues to locate hidden items. Our students will work in teams, using GPS units and related clues to find curriculum-related resources in the community.

Ultimately they will create a map of community treasures, using the resources from their daylong experience and their GPS logs.

NYS Learning Standards Addressed:

English Language Arts

Standard 1: Language for Information and Understanding
Standard 2: Literary Response and Expression
Standard 3: Critical Analysis and Evaluation
Standard 4: Social Interaction

Social Studies

Standard 1: History of United States and New York
Standard 2: World History

MST

Standard 3: Mathematics
Standard 4: Science
Standard 6: Interconnectedness
Standard : Interdisciplinary Problem Solving

Connection to District Learning Standards:

Critical Thinker
Effective Communicator
Responsible Citizen
Lifelong Learner
Healthy Citizen