Fun GPS Activities

GPS, GIS, and Community Mapping Conference

March 29-30, 2006

C= olumbia <= st1:State w:st=3D"on">Missouri

GPS1 Workshop

Activities can use e= ither coordinates or waymarks. I prefer having students work with coordinates. I think the coordinates make them think more and develop a better understanding of lati= tude and longitude on a very local level.

Practice finding coordinates.

Goto: Lat. 38.94293 Long. -92.32763<= /span>

Lat. 38.94307 Long. -92.32768

Lat. 38.94281 Long. -92.32791

Fun and Easy GPS Learning Activities=

The variations of th= is activity are almost unlimited. A GPS scavenger hunt is generally a stand al= one activity on a local scale. The activity can be used just to practice GPS skills or to learn about location= s. One example of a GPS practice activity is to “hide” the ingredi= ents for a camp snack (trail mix or s’mores) at several locations. The GPS learners need to follow way= marks or coordinates to gather the snacks.

A scavenger hunt is = also a good way to become familiar with an area like a camp, fair grounds, neighborhood, or any area. In addition to finding locations with only waymarks or coordinates, the activity can be designed so participants also discover information about the location. The scavenger hunt can take them to a place and have them explore that location from a different perspective. Look at http://www.geocaching.com/ to get more ideas for different types of scavenger hunts.

Our practice activity provides questions and related coordinates. Participants must go to the coordi= nates to find the information to answer the questions.

Lat. 38.94245 Long.-92.32895 What= are the watchwords?

Lat. 38.94406 Long.-92.32966 When did the Rock graduate?

GPS Frisbee Golf-

This activity is Fri= sbee golf except you need a GPS to help you find your targets. Use hula hoops as the targets. Place the hoops in half hidden locations- on the ground in taller grass or behind an object works great. The participants are given a waymark or coordinate for each target. They throw the Frisbee in the dire= ction of the target, then go to where the Frisbee landed, take another GPS readin= g, and throw again. The start sh= ould be four or five throws from the target and the target should not be obvious until the last couple throws. You will need an area large enough so the participants don’t just follow = each other to discover the targets.

Here are the coordin= ates for today’s targets. <= /o:p>

Target 1 &= nbsp; Lat. 38.94360 Long.-92.32797

Target 2 &= nbsp; Lat. 38.94234 Long.-92.32825

Bp 3/28/06