GPS is highly motivating for students! GPS units in the classroom
The activities do not need to be complicated. Read about some of the projects in the sections below! Farther down the page are links to lesson plans using GPS units in the core curriculum.
GPS Activities being done by other schools!
Using GPS and Geocaching in the core curriculum has become a powerful tool in enhancing student understanding of geography, scientific inquiry, math concepts, physical education, problem solving, and language arts. Students in this picture are mapping a local park. It was an easy 5 minute walk to the park. The teacher planned out waypoints for the student to log as part of a larger introduction to how GPS units work.
| GPS in the History Classroom! Geocaching in the History Classroom with Mr. Swingle. Every small town in America, and even some big towns risk losing a little piece of history each time a long-standing citizen either moves away or passes away. We didn't want to lose that history or those wonderful oral stories, legends, and facts. Not all of history is written down, some is passed down and that is what we hoped to capture with this web site. |
Earth Caching EARTH SCIENCE & GEOGRAPHY: Earth Caches are a type of a virtual cache. They have no physical container or log book. However, Earth Caches teach the visitor something about the site. An Earth Cache is not just a scenic view or a locality. They present some lesson on how that place formed, about why that place is important scientifically or what that site can tell us about our planet. |
| CSI: Cemetery Scene Investigators Students in the class investigated a cemetery to understand why vital primary source documents (headstones) were wearing away. They also investigated the topography, geography, animal & plant life, and architecture existing in the pioneer cemetery. Students analyzed the data and built a web site explaining their findings. Visit the student web site as well as the "CSI WebQuest" to do you own project! |
e-Bird with Cornell University eBird, a project developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, provides a simple way for you to keep track of the birds you see anywhere in North America. You can retrieve information on your bird observations, from your backyard to your neighborhood to your favorite bird-watching locations, at any time for your personal use. |
Mapping the Refuge- and other activities: How would you help map a wildlife refuge? GPS units and creative problem solving with the students becomes an engaging learning experience! Read more about it with the PDF Mapping the Refuge file! |
Where in the World is My School? This lesson plan can be downloaded as a PDF file as well as an html file! During this lesson students will use a GPS to locate points on the earth's surface that can be entered into a GIS program and show a geographic pattern for analysis. You can also use GOOGLE EARTH software. |
| Why GPS in the Classroom? WHY GPS in the classroom site- a great set of resources for learning about using GPS in the classroom. | GPS "Drawing" GPS "Drawing" is when one uses a GPS unit to log the path, or route, one has taken around a community. The site listed here shows a school that 'drew' , mapped, the local renewable forms of energy. Corby School has some information about their activities at this site. |
This is an entire series of lessons- connecting Marzano, backwards curriculum design, and gps units. Lesson plans are for specific grade levels.
Lewiston School District Resources- pdf files |
GPS in the Classroom- a California Watershed Project
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USGS- Geocaching ideas & resources |
Confluence Project- taking pictures where every major parallel line and line of longitude cross.
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Lesson Plans created by an Illinois middle school teacher |
A Geo-Caching webquest- an entire webquest on GPS units and Geocaching.
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Set of lesson plans on GPS stuff |
CHECK out these science lessons and worksheets from the Science Spot
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Harvard University's page on using ATLAS & GPS in the classroom
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CSU Chico- Catch Me If You Can
- activity 1 This activity demonstrates how GPS information can be used to not only determine your location, but also the direction and speed you are traveling.
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Resource overview-Harvard EDU resources The ATLAS program |
Utah GPS Resource Listing – Includes Lesson Plans and Activities
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COMPUTERS & SATELLITES FACT: COMPUTERS AND SATELLITES CAN HELP FARMERS MAKE BETTER DECISIONS – Four lesson plans – includes Language Arts, Math, Science, and Geography
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Keystone Area Education Agency – Good overall site with multiple Lesson plans and lab exercises
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Mapping Your Community – Lesson Plans |
Louisiana Intech 2 Social Studies – Three Day curriculum
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Globe 2003 Teacher’s Guide – Two in-depth lesson plans |
The Science Spot: Lesson Plans
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Global Positioning System Classroom Exercise: Where Am I?
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Geocaching with Kids – Lesson Aid
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