Geocaching

= Geocaching in the Classroom =

Session 2 - 11-12:00pm
Come to this session to find out about a new "craze" for the educational market. Geocaching is an outdoor game in which the participants use a hand held Global Positioning System receiver to hide and seek containers (called "geocaches" or "caches") anywhere in the world. A typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a logbook and "treasure".

The session begins with instruction about how to begin:
 * Using geocaching.com
 * How to use a handheld GPS to load coordinates
 * How travel bugs work
 * Ideas for the classroom
 * Alignment with SS GLCEs
 * Geocaching terms/lingo
 * Tips & tricks

Next, we will head outside and do some geocaching together! We guarantee a fun time. You will be hooked! Be sure to dress accordingly for the weather - we WILL be outside.

Resources: [|Geocaching Tutorials by Trimble]

The Facilitators:
 * Gina Loveless is the Instructional Technologist/Data Specialist for Kalamazoo RESA. She is currently chairman of the MACUL Conference and is a MACUL Board member. She was introduced to geocaching over a year ago and immediately saw the impact it could have on classroom instruction. "As GPS technology starts to play a bigger role in society as a whole, the need for further education will only grow."
 * John Phillips is a Technology and Media Literacy instructor at Urbandale Elementary school. He was introduced to Geocaching a few years ago and is hooked on the sport. He has hosted 3 Geocaching PD's for Battle Creek educators and is looking to expand it's use in Battle Creek schools.