Learning and Leading - February 2011

Get Outside with GPS!

ibecame interested in geocaching while riding my bicycle on the Highland Trail in western Maryland. I came upon one of my former college professors and his son, who were looking for a small tin container buried under a shallow layer of shale. He explained that they were geocaching, and I was intrigued.

Geocaching is a global treasure hunt where searchers look for containers—or caches—hidden outdoors. Some caches are so small that they contain only a log book for the finder to initial. Other caches contain small trinkets that finders may take, and in return, they leave other items behind.

Geocachers have stashed nearly a million caches around the world. Searchers can acquire geocache coordinates on a variety of websites and then log their finds and discuss their experiences online. All you need is a computer and a GPS unit.

Getting Started

I decided that I had to try it, so I logged on to http://geocaching.com and researched caches in my area. This site allows you to search by address, zip code, keyword, or Google Map.

After I signed on to the website, I had to purchase a GPS unit. I chose the Garmin e Trex, which is easy to operate. It allows me to name the cache and enter the coordinates, and then it points me in the right direction. I don’t pretend to know all about the GPS unit, but I can enter data and locate caches. A lot of models are available to choose from on the market, so shop around. (See “Buyers Guide: Handheld GPS Receivers,” L&L, November 2010, pages 42–43.)

ort Hill High School students: Jacie airall and Colton Sibley (seated); Martika imble, Haley Hoppert, and Jessica Cur-ence (standing, left to right)

Involving Students

Once I got the hang of geocaching, I decided to introduce it to my science students, who are juniors and seniors at Fort Hill High School in Cumberland, Maryland. The activity was new for them, though they quickly grasped how to find coordinates and

Clockwise from top: a list of registered geocaches in the 21502 zip code region of Cumberland, Maryland; the geocaching website ( www.geocaching.com); and a Google Map of the area surrounding Fort Hill High School.