This week in my graduate class we've been exploring the use of geotagging. To do that we had to take photos of plant life in the area where we lived, download it to Flickr and 'geotag' the photo. When we added the 'geotag' - by overlaying the photo on google maps - anyone viewing your plant photos could see exactly where the plant was located. I found that very cool that you could allow others any where on earth a peak at what life looked like around you. As I explored a little further on the google map, I found others right here around my neighborhood had also geotagged their pictures they had on Flickr and I could get their personal view of life around my same hood!
As I explored geotagging for educational uses I immediately linked it the Geocaching unit that I've seen taught in physical education classes. Geocaching is a great fitness activity because it makes walking exciting. Geocaching combines satellite navigation, orienteering, computer skills, treasure hunting and walking into a fun activity for students. It can easily be incorporated into the Physical Education curriculum...of course a little monetary help will be needed as GPS units can cost anywhere from $100 and up.
Learn more to get started:
Geocaching - The Offical Global GPS Cache Hunt Site
A Beginner's Guide and Tutorial to Geocaching
Geocaching with Kids (from Eduscapes.com)
If you're really into geocaching check this website out:
Groundspeak - The Language of Location
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Amy,
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw this week that we were doing geotagging and have the opportunity to do geocaching, I was thrilled. This is an activity that I've always wanted to do, but never have gotten around to it. I would love to talk to our PE teacher and see if we can combine a class. I'm very excited to learn more!
Amy, I totally love your idea and agree. This would be fun and physical activity at the same time!! I hope you can do this in your classroom; do you have access to enough digital cameras??
ReplyDeleteMy family and I geocache and we LOVE it. It is so fun to go hunting for the boxes and leave our name and trade out a toy.
ReplyDeleteIf any of you are just starting most caches are boxes and hold a small toys, cheap jewelry, coins, etc.. it is customary to take one leave one. So take a small item that you would like to trade. This helps keep the cache fresh and if you have kids they really love trading.
I have not found the website user friendly but just keep at it and you will find your info.
Amy they you can even have them race to the cache and have them log their location and time. They actually have puzzle courses where you find the first cache which gives you a clue and the next coordinates for the next cache. You can have as many caches as you want.
I really love geocaching and I have heard that people actually plan vacations around geocaching. Caches are located literally everywhere around the world. In just a 5 mile radius around my house we have a over a hundred.
If you have a smart phone the Geocache site has a $10 app you can use to find caches on the go. My GPS unit broke so we now use my husbands iPhone.
Leah,
ReplyDeleteI will first check with our LMC to see if they have any digital cameras I can borrow, or if any other departments have any I could borrow. If I can't round up enough cameras my thought is that I would allow students to use their cell phone cameras to take pictures - with administrative approval. Wish me luck with that!! :0
Oh they(the students) would love that and what a great way to get admin to understand the value of technology and how students can use their cell phones with cameras in an educational way! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way to get students moving. I know that when I planned a simple math in nature scavenger hunt last year my students were amazed at how much distance they had covered while looking for the "perfect" example.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of incorporating geocaching in PE class. We actually do a faculty "road rally" (scavenger hunt) each year, and I am helping to plan the course next fall. Do you think I could incorporate geocaching if each group had a GPS? We'd be using cars, of course, but it would still be fun to do something cutting edge and original. Any advice on how/if that might work? Thanks for the idea, Amy!
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