Geocaching in the Classroom
Geocaching: An active instructional strategy
What is it?
As a Classroom Strategy
Background
Example
Introductory Lesson on Insects
I am using geocaching to introduce my science unit on insects. I have created 6 caches using plastic insects with prompts, questions or props inside and hidden them on the playground for students to find using the coordinates I supplied. The students will take on roles listed below and those roles will rotate for each cache so everyone has a chance to use the GPS.
Student Roles
- Navigator (hold the GPS and follow the coordinates)
- Recorder (writes responses on clipboard)
- Detective (reads clues given through the iPad for what the cache might look like)
- Controller (confirms the location and reads the cache)
Challenge
- Pick a unit you teach with your students
- Create caches to hide with questions and prompts to activate student's prior knowledge
- Hide the caches and have students work in groups to find them
- Have them record their responses
- Then have students compile their responses into a KWL
- Throughout the unit students can add or change their KWL within their groups
*without GPS - create a map of the school or playground and star the caches or write clues to help the students find them.
Citations
Deyenberg, Jen. (2010). Grasshopper cache [image] Retrieved from http://www.trailsoptional.com/2010/09/unique-geocaching-containers/
Lo, Burt. (2010). GPS and geocaching in education (PDF). International society for technology in education. Retrieved from
http://www.iste.org/docs/excerpts/GCACHE-excerpt.pdf
Hall, T. and Strangman, N. (2009). National center for assessing general curriculum. Retrieved from
http://aim.cast.org/learn/historyarchive/backgroundpapers/background_knowledge#.Uotv9MSkrgo
SRI International Technology and education reform: Effects of technology on classrooms and students. Retrieved 20 November 2013 from http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/EdReformStudies/EdTech/effectsstudents.html
Website Links
http://blog.geocaching.com/2011/12/new-teacher-tools-geocaching-and-education/