Tri-County Geocaching Course (by Scott Edmundson)

Group Names:_______________________________

District/ National Science Content Standards : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Science as Inquiry - Grades 3-5 Essential Concepts and/or Skills

Identify and generate questions that can be answered through scientific
investigations.
Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, process, and analyze data.
Incorporate mathematics in science inquiries.
Communicate scientific procedures and explanations.

Earth & Space - Grades 3-5 Essential Concepts and/or Skills

Understand and apply knowledge of properties and uses of earth materials.
Understand and apply knowledge of processes and changes on or in the earth’s
land, oceans, and atmosphere.
Understand and apply knowledge of weather and weather patterns.

Life Science - Grades 3-5 Essential Concepts and/or Skills

Understand and apply knowledge of organisms and their environments,
including:
• Structures, characteristics, and adaptations of organisms that allow them
to function and survive within their habitats.
• How individual organisms are influenced by internal and external factors.
Understand and apply knowledge of environmental stewardship.
Understand and apply knowledge of basic human body systems and how they
work together.
Understand and apply knowledge of personal health and wellness issues.

Physical Science - Grades 3-5 Essential Concepts and/or Skills

Understand and apply knowledge of how to describe and identify substances
based on characteristic properties.
Understand and apply knowledge of states of matter and changes in states of
matter.
Understand and apply knowledge of sound, light, electricity, magnetism, and
heat.

Year End Activity

In this activity you will become familiar with a GPS unit and use this unit to help
navigate your way to answering spatial questions pertaining to both science and
the community.

First we need to become familiar with a GPS personal navigator. We will use the
eTrex unit created by Garmin. This GPS unit has buttons on both sides that can
be used to navigate the basic operations and functions of this unit. Look at the
diagram on the next page to get a basic overview of the different location of
buttons and their function.

Each of your GPS receivers will need to be set to UTM/UPS position format and
set the datum to WGS84 horizontal datum. Your teacher will walk you through
this simple procedure. Before you do this let’s find some background information
about WGS84 by doing an internet search on Yahoo or Google. Using the
computer lab, you will document important information that will help you to better
understand the World Geodetic System.

1. What is WGS 84 datum?

2. When was it established?

3. Is this the only datum available?

4. How long will it be valid?

(Mr. Edmundson goes over GPS units with kids in large group.)
You are now ready to start navigation. As you travel along the trail answer the
questions as they pertain to each coordinates to the best of your ability. Be
aware of your surroundings and stay safe. Do not walk onto the highway, jump
fences, or veer off school property. Be careful around the vehicles in the parking
lot. You will need to draw information from your prior knowledge when answering
the questions. You may carry a book to help refresh your memory. Good luck,
have fun, cooperate, and enjoy your surroundings.

For Easier Navigation:

To simplify finding our coordinates, the first 4 numbers of the easting and
the first 4 numbers of the northings can be ignored. The coordinates will all
begin with these numbers:

Top number - Easting: 0555 Therefore, the easting 570 is actually 0555570

Bottom number - Northing: 4589 Therefore, the northing 303 is actually 4589303

Clockwise Version 1
Turn on your GPS unit and get ready to navigate. You will walk out of the
elementary building as if you are going to recess. Walk to ___619___ easting
and __307___northing.
1. What kind of a tree is located at this site? Is it a vascular or nonvascular
plant? Would the leaves stay green in the winter?

Walk to ___630___ easting and _324__northing and compare this tree to the
tree you just looked at.
2. Create a venn diagram to compare the similarities and differences of both
trees.
Walk to __661____ easting and _337__northing. You will notice a crack just
below you or close to your feet.
3. What could have caused this crack?
Walk to ___654___ easting and ___327__northing. Look at the warning sticker.
4. What could happen if the safety rules are not followed with this structure?

Walk to ___682___ easting and __328__northing. Note the color of this

structure.
5. Using what you have learned about light, what colors of the visible spectrum
are being reflected?

Walk to ___728___ easting and __472__northing. Here you will find a fine
sediment.
6. What type of rock would be formed if the sediment was cemented together?

Walk to _783____ easting and __337__northing. You are now standing on a

position which has a number and that number can be used to describe classes of
levers.
7. Which class lever is represented and give an example of this class of lever?

Walk to __764____ easting and _312__northing. You will find a hole under this
structure.
8. Which phylum of the animal kingdom do you think lives under this structure?

Walk to ___749___ easting and __306__northing. A valuable resource is used

here.
9. Discuss with your group ways this resource is useful, how it can be preserved,
and write the state of matter this resource is in when it comes out. Name the
class of lever represented by the handle.

Walk to ___702___ easting and __190__northing. You should be facing south

when you stop.
10. Is the plant life in this area different than in the surrounding area? (Explain
why?) How do the roots of these plants help slow erosion?
Walk to ____628___ easting and ___196__northing. Look at the sign to your
south.
11. What geometric shape is this sign? If you look up, what type of clouds do
you see and what weather is associated with this type of cloud cover?

Walk to ___581___ easting and __209__northing. Here you can sit and enjoy
the flowers on either side.
12. How are the individual cells of these plants different from the cells of an
animal?

Walk to ___541___ easting and __192___northing.

13. What pillars of character would you not be showing if you parked here and
how much is the fine?

Walk to ___507___ easting and __210__northing. This is the last stop on your
journey. The information on this sign informs people about our school’s campus.
14. List 5 reason why the message on this sign is important and why this is an
important message in your life?

[Student Created Location]

Walk to _________ easting and _______northing. At this location your group
needs to come up with a question that relates to information we have studied
during the year. Be creative. Use a question to demonstrate your understanding
of any information we studied in Unit A-F.

15.