+kwikstix Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 I've been asked to take my son's kindergarten class on a geocaching adventure. Due to transportation logistics, we'll be visiting a geocache that happens to be hidden within a very short walking distance of his school. I'd like to know if anyone has done any caching with a group of young children (there will be around 15 of them). Any advice? Ideas of how to explain what a GPS is and how it works? I thought of going into the fact that satellites are orbiting the earth, and this little device can figure out exactly where it is based on the signal it receives from each of those satellites. Perhaps that's too much information? Any similar experiences you can share would be helpful! Quote Link to comment
Valalvax Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 I would probably go with just that, there are computers above the earth, and it uses signals to tell you where you are Quote Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 Don't use a "real" cache - hide one specially for the outing. That will keep the real one safer. Keep the explanations short and simple - introduce yourself as a "Treasure Hunter" for modern times. Do a basic explanation of what the GPS is doing. Put emphasis on CITO work, trading, geo-ethics. Most of all - Have patience!!!! You will get a lot of questions. Quote Link to comment
+KoosKoos Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 I'd ask the teacher about setting up a cache or two on the school ground to make sure that 1) you know they'll find some cool giveaways to take (which you stock of course) and 2) there's no risk of them showing someone else where the box is in the woods and having it go missing. Plus, more kids would get the chance to watch the GPSr and search for the cache. For explaining the concept, you could give the quick, there are things in space talking to your receiver and then give them a tangible example. Have 5 or 6 kids form a circle (they get to be the "satellites") and get another kid to stand in the middle of the circle (he/she is the "GPS receiver"). Explain that the real satellites send out a signal all the time like a radio and the GPSr listens for the signals. Have the GPS student close their eyes. Walk around the circle and ask a satellite to say something (pick a silly saying). When the GPS hears the "signal", they point in the direction. Maybe have 2 "satellites" talk at the same time. No need to explain triangulation, but just say that when the GPSr "hears" enough signals, it can figure out where it is based on what the satellites are saying. I wouldn't spend more than 5 minutes on the demonstration, BTW...kids want to M-O-V-E! Quote Link to comment
+paulandstacey Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 If you're going to use a real cache for the outing, it should be one of your own. I definitely would not take a group of kids (any age) to someone elses cache (at least not without the owner's permission). Quote Link to comment
+Headstone Hunter 1 Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 I've been asked to take my son's kindergarten class on a geocaching adventure. Due to transportation logistics, we'll be visiting a geocache that happens to be hidden within a very short walking distance of his school. I'd like to know if anyone has done any caching with a group of young children (there will be around 15 of them). Any advice? Ideas of how to explain what a GPS is and how it works? I thought of going into the fact that satellites are orbiting the earth, and this little device can figure out exactly where it is based on the signal it receives from each of those satellites. Perhaps that's too much information? Any similar experiences you can share would be helpful! I would salt the school property with different un-official cache types and have trade items for the children to keep. Doing it that way would not compromise a official Geocache. Worked fine when I did it. Everyone had fun. I then removed the caches. Quote Link to comment
+kwikstix Posted May 20, 2008 Author Share Posted May 20, 2008 All excellent suggestions!! I will follow them: arrive early and set out various cache containers (which I've received permission to do), and stock some of them with some trade items. (I plan to give each student a trade item to take with them and remind them that they have to "trade" something in.) I've found some decent illustrations online, so I'm planning to print them out to help with the brief explanation. Thanks again for the tips - they've been very helpful. Quote Link to comment
+XopherN71 Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Just wanted to say it's really cool of you to take this on. Please post back once it's done and what worked/what you'd change if you did it again, etc. Quote Link to comment
+StumpWater Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Plant a TB in one of the caches, a TB that's had some decent travels. Show them the Google Earth path for it. Or a geocoin. Modern day treasure hunter and all that. StumpWater Quote Link to comment
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