Geocaching Lingo to Know!

Transcription

1 Meichelle Long IT Director/ Technology Teacher

2 What is GPS? GPS is funded by and controlled by the US Department of Defense (DOD). While there are many thousands of civil users of GPS world-wide, the system was designed for and is operated by the U. S. military. GPS provides specially coded satellite signals that can be processed in a GPS receiver, enabling the receiver to compute position, velocity, and time. Four GPS satellite signals are used to compute positions in three dimensions and the time offset in the receiver clock.

3 How does GPS work? AGPSdevicereceives signals from satellites orbiting the earth to triangulate your location, which will be given as a global address. Or, the GPS device can lead you to a previously marked location, much like a compass.

4 Geocaching Lingo to Know! Geocache: Geo= Geography Cache= Hidden treasure Waypoint: Coordinate address for any location that t is saved, store and recalled by a GPS. Latitude: Measures es the distance N-or-S of the Equator in degrees, minutes & sec s Longitude: Measures the distance E-or-W of the Prime Meridian in degrees, minutes & sec s

5 Ready to start a Geocache? YOU NEED: Container(s) with a lid usually plastic and waterproof At least one GPS device Something to put in the cache A way to allow others to log their find

6 Types of caches: Standard: Watertight tuppie or ammo can Microcache: Film canister or dressing cup Multi-cache: Two or more locations = clues Webcam or Photocache: Web camera or a disposable camera for you to log a photo of yourself and post online Virtual cache: Permanent find (monument) Benchmarks: US Surveyor markers usually near Historical Landmarks

7 Geocaching in the Classroom Scavenger Hunt students take a sealed clue from each cache and bring back to a predetermined location to open and solve a riddle or mystery Content Specific Caches each cache has an activity that deals with one particular subject area (ie., each cache has a math problem that students must solve)

8 Classroom, cont. Interdisciplinary Cache each cache has information or an activity from a different subject area (finding mummified chickens that 6 th grade social studies buried) Math: Calculating the perimeter of the school Science Cache each cache is actually a tree, plant species (or something similar), or landmark that students must identify

9 Just Remember Take Something (may be physical or a fact ) Leave Something (usually) Do not move the cache Log the cache Hiking stick pin Cache patch

10 Log the cache The logbook paper has been specially treated to be waterproof under most conditions. The front cover has the Geocaching.com logo, a place for the cache name, waypoint and contact information. The back of the logbook has basic Geocaching trail etiquette. Inside are blank pages giving cache finders a place to log the date, name and notes from their adventure.

11 What do I log? Message to those who find your cache: This goes on the first page! 1- The name of the Geocache 2- Instructions (take photo, sign log) 3- If you found by accident: Please leave the container- take something if you leave something- me for more info about geocaching Date and Time of find Found by: (name or codename) Notes:

12 WHAT IS COOL CACHE? baseball cards buttons (not for sewing) comic strip dollar store items small toys Stickers deck of cards mini flags favorite team item disposable camera for photo-log action figures mini cars or flip boards puzzle or game joke or riddle

13 Rate my cache Rating a cache and Getting Rated Poor Fair Good Great Awesome What does the rating mean? Not hidden- boring location Fairly hidden- ok location Well hidden- interesting location- enjoyable Great hiding spot- great area and an adventure Great hiding spot- remote location- memorable experience

14 DIFFICULY RATINGS DIFFICULTY TERRAIN 1= Easy 1= Handicapped OK 2= Average 2= Small Kids OK 3= Challenging g 3= Not for small kids 4= Difficult 4= Experienced 5= Extreme 5= Expert Cacher

15 How not to look weird *Keep a low profile *Be obvious that you are not trying to do anything illegal *Be prepared to politely explain what you are doingmost people are very interested in geocaching *There is no reason to disturb anyone or do anything suspicious *Be careful how and where you use your GPS, some buildings (like government) may consider them an illegal device (spying).

16 What is a TRAVEL bug? Travel Bug* is a unique tracking tag that you can attach to items and give them goals for others to try and complete! Each Travel Bug gets its own page on geocaching.com where you can track its progress as it passes on from person to person or cache to cache. To learn more about the Groundspeak Travel Bugs, visit this web site. Each Travel Bug comes as a pair; one bug gets attached to an item (or on its own) and the other is a copy that you can hold on to. Travel Bugs have a unique tracking number stamped into the metal tag. The tag was designed for durability. *Please note that the word "Travel Bug" and the Travel *Please note that the word Travel Bug and the Travel Bug design logo are registered Trademarks of Groundspeak Inc.

17 Gps cool lingo 2 know CPs- Cardial points= N, S, E, W ICPs- Intercardinal points= NE, SE, NW, SW CITO- Cache in, Trash out FTF- First to Find HH- Hitchhiker= directions to relocate cache Muggle- non-geocaching folks Spoiler- gives away the hiding location or cache TFTC- Thanks for the cache TNLN= Took nothing, left nothing TNSL= Took nothing, signed logbook

18 Cache In Trash Out Cache In Trash Out is an ongoing environmental initiative supported by the worldwide geocaching g community. Since 2002, geocachers have been dedicated to cleaning up parks and other cache-friendly places around the world. Through these volunteer efforts, we help preserve the natural beauty of our outdoor resources!

19 htt // t t d / Thanks so much to SWFWMD SPLASH Mini Grants!