Mentioned Geocaching to my son's teacher as a class activity was it a mistake?

[+tweetiepy]

My son's been out with me on our two profitable excursions (and on the multi I keep trying to continue). he wanted me to mention this to his teacher (he's in a "fresh air activity" program in grade 6. I thought this was something that might be fun and would help kids with figuring out stuff (or not). She looked interested but now I'm worried about a few things.

 

I don't want some of the less interested kids or the trouble makers to mess with any of the caches after they've been found (as in returning at a later time to disrupt them). I could mention to the teacher that she could set up something around the school grounds for them to find but being inexperienced she might not know how to go about this.

 

If it comes to actually going out to find one, would taking an existing one and finding it be the best idea, or could she contact one of our local cache hiders and ask if they could hide one on the grounds for their activity?

 

Would it be problematic if they searched for an actual cache? do you think the kids would return to mess with them later? We're taking about 11-12 year olds.

 

I think it might be a good idea to contact a local cacher to hide on or make one up but I'm afraid they may find it's too much of a hassle - they could give the coords only to the teacher so no one else would find it and it wouldn't be published (as it,s on school grounds)

 

What are your thoughts? Did I make a boo-boo?

[+Panther&Pine]

Make up a fake cache and help her with it.

 

Only give them info for real caches if you own those caches or get explicit permission from the owner.

 

While I wouldn't mind helping out a class, I wouldn't be super thrilled to find out someone had taken a class of kids to my caches to explain caching. I work with kids often enough to know they can be rather destructive without even trying.

[+niraD]

When I teach kids that age about geocaching, I make a point either to use temporary caches that I've placed myself just for the class, or to take them on a geocaching hike well away from the local neighborhood. Even if I trust the kids I'm with completely, I don't necessarily trust their friends, or their friends' friends.

 

I've seen enough juvenile destruction of suburban caches already.

[+Ike 13]

When I teach kids that age about geocaching, I make a point either to use temporary caches that I've placed myself just for the class, or to take them on a geocaching hike well away from the local neighborhood. Even if I trust the kids I'm with completely, I don't necessarily trust their friends, or their friends' friends.

 

I've seen enough juvenile destruction of suburban caches already.

I think this is a great response. I have a few on a local neighborhood trail that borders houses and apartments. One was fine for 2 years then started getting removed the first time I figured an animal, but it consistently was taken off the zip tie or the root it was attached to would be ripped from the ground. Obviously one kid had found it and made it his/her mission to get rid of it. As soon as i moved it 50 feet away it was fine.

[+secretagentbill]

This past fall, the Army Corps of Engineers hosted a CITO event at a local park & also included an Intro to Geocaching portion, complete with loaner GPS units. On that day, one of my caches was stolen (the log book was left laying there with immature writings) and my other regular was completely emptied of swag. My multi-letterbox survived. The way I see it is USACE told noobs about my caches and they wrecked them. This year's CITO will find all of my caches with PMO designation for a few weeks.

 

It's a great idea to have the class learn geocaching. But please consider placing a couple of your own caches to feature in the program (they can even be non-published caches if the students must stay on school grounds). This way, if you find that the kids mess things up, you can just cut your losses and archive them, rather than disturbing all the regulars.

 

Consider listing your caches under an account created for the teacher so that she may share future logs with her students. The class could even launch a couple of travel bugs from them.

[+NeverSummer]

As an environmental educator who has provided GPS/Geocaching classes to many K-12 and adult groups, I have some advice on the subject.

 

Make the class about the GPS and navigation. As far as meeting the specifics of education standards for the school, it is much easier to match the learning outcomes to the navigation aspect of things, and use "geocaching" as a learning tool. Don't use existing Geocaches (see what I did there with the big "G"? ), and instead advocate for temporary containers with logbooks and an educational logging task related to something they are working on in class.

 

An example of that: At the US Fish and Wildlife Service refuge I am currently at, we do seabird study. So, we put out temporary caches related to teaching about what we do in the field when studying seabirds. One cache had a fake bird, a bag, and a scale like what is used in the field to measure the weight of chicks. They are taught how to properly weigh the bird, and must record it on their sheet. Find all the caches, complete all the tasks, and meet as a group to check answers. First group back with the most correct answers "wins".

 

It is like a scavenger hunt, but closely tied to many established education standards for science, math, language and physical education.

 

If you use real Geocaches, and tell them about the specific game, you are inviting many minor students to run out and place caches that are not supervised by an adult--let alone an adult who might know anything at all about Geocaching.

 

Here is a story about that situation...

We did a big "GPS/geocaching" event here at our Visitor Center as a learning lab. Many youngsters (under 16) found the activities to be really fun. However, we had one table that talked about Geocaching.com and "official" Geocaching. Not long after the event, we started seeing numerous containers around our grounds,and some in sensitive areas. None asked for permission, and most were poorly chosen containers and locations. It ended up meaning a lot of cleanup that lasted years (we just found another derelict cache on our grounds now 3 years later). Unless you have a complete class about cache placement, anther for guideline understanding, and another for asking permissions properly, you will end up training a bunch of gung-ho kids to place fun containers all over the place with no understanding of the game, the rules, and what makes it all work with minimal hangups for others who play the game.

 

So, this isn't a horror story to keep the idea from happening. Just be deliberate, and make it about the technology and use, not about Geocaching.com and the fun activity you love to do on your own free time with your family. Give the teacher the link to the site, and direct them toward the forums on GPS and Education.

[+tweetiepy]

I posted on the Canadian site, the one in my area in particular and asked if someone with experience might want to do something around the school if its needed - I'm too new to post my own caches but someone might be willing to work with the teacher to hide one or two around the school grounds -

 

I'm not sure if they'd be willing to get into ALL the rules but maybe a few basic rules about it so no one starts hiding random stuff in every nook & cranny around town.

[+NeverSummer]

I posted on the Canadian site, the one in my area in particular and asked if someone with experience might want to do something around the school if its needed - I'm too new to post my own caches but someone might be willing to work with the teacher to hide one or two around the school grounds -

 

I'm not sure if they'd be willing to get into ALL the rules but maybe a few basic rules about it so no one starts hiding random stuff in every nook & cranny around town.

I understand. Take a look at this eventthat might help with some ideas about what to do.

 

Now, that said, you will need to be very careful about cache placements after this "class". There are guidelines about supervision of minors on the site, and that will include cache placements and such. These guidelines exist for this, and other more obvious, reasons.

 

If you aren't careful about clarity with the rules, there is little to no foundation of proper processes for Geocaching. These are 6th graders, and no matter how mature they might seem, they are still 6th graders.

 

Temporary caches are the way to go, and even then, the caches themselves should be a supplement to any lesson. Focus really should be on GPS use, navigation, and historic navigation methods. Do think about directing the teacher to the GPS and Education forum for ideas.

[+geodarts]

I posted on the Canadian site, the one in my area in particular and asked if someone with experience might want to do something around the school if its needed - I'm too new to post my own caches but someone might be willing to work with the teacher to hide one or two around the school grounds -

 

I'm not sure if they'd be willing to get into ALL the rules but maybe a few basic rules about it so no one starts hiding random stuff in every nook & cranny around town.

 

Temporary caches on a school ground would not be posted on this site and do not need a great deal of experience. Working with the teacher to have kids go on a one-time hunt around the school is probably the best way to go . It also need not be limited to containers. Depending on location and policies, a class could set up a virtual tour highlighting history or educational sites (similar to virtuals or earthcaches).

 

In any event, it would be nice if you could get help. I would not hesitate to contact other local cachers directly (through the caching profiles) to ask if they could help or put you in contact with people who could.

 

In my area, there are several scout leaders who have worked with young people on their geocaching merit badges. Scouts Canada has a similar type of specialty badge. Perhaps people who work with them would have experience in explaining the game and how it can be used for educational purposes.

 

Every year it seems, a different set of young people in my area are drawn to the game and begin to hide containers. Most of these containers are ones that will not survive the winter. Most are placed in random locations, often where others might feel uncomfortable in looking. Then they discover girls (or boys as the case may be) and drop out of site, leaving the caches for others to deal with. The same thing can happen with scouts who are introduced to caching for a merit badge -- although often there are scout leaders who will work with the kids over a period of time. So I would probably not emphasize the game so much as using the ideas behind geocaching to teach kids something about it. With gps technology being so pervasive in cars and smartphones, it could be a good class learning experience.

Edited January 9, 2013 by geodarts

[+NeverSummer]

Every year it seems, a different set of young people in my area are drawn to the game and begin to hide containers. Most of these containers are ones that will not survive the winter. Most are placed in random locations, often where others might feel uncomfortable in looking. Then they discover girls (or boys as the case may be) and drop out of site, leaving the caches for others to deal with. The same thing can happen with scouts who are introduced to caching for a merit badge -- although often there are scout leaders who will work with the kids over a period of time. So I would probably not emphasize the game so much as using the ideas behind geocaching to teach kids something about it. With gps technology being so pervasive in cars and smartphones, it could be a good class learning experience.

This is a good way to put what I was trying to say.

 

The use of GPS, navigation with a GPS, and general navigation (compass use, reading a map) and history (history of navigation, history of navigation tools, history of GPS, GPS selective availabiltiy, modern GPS use) are the important parts of the lesson for kids this age. Trust me, I'm familiar with teaching this age group this specific topic (and others).

[+Crow-T-Robot]

Here is a story about that situation...

We did a big "GPS/geocaching" event here at our Visitor Center as a learning lab. Many youngsters (under 16) found the activities to be really fun. However, we had one table that talked about Geocaching.com and "official" Geocaching. Not long after the event, we started seeing numerous containers around our grounds,and some in sensitive areas. None asked for permission, and most were poorly chosen containers and locations. It ended up meaning a lot of cleanup that lasted years (we just found another derelict cache on our grounds now 3 years later). Unless you have a complete class about cache placement, anther for guideline understanding, and another for asking permissions properly, you will end up training a bunch of gung-ho kids to place fun containers all over the place with no understanding of the game, the rules, and what makes it all work with minimal hangups for others who play the game.

 

 

So true. I assume most Geocaching 101 classes make finding a geocache the primary lesson while glossing over the hiding aspect (guidelines/permission/good containers vs bad containers; the works). Of course, in the real world, everyone agrees that finding caches is dang fun and wouldn't you want to go hide one of your own? And they get turned loose with little direction.

 

 

Temporary caches on a school ground would not be posted on this site and do not need a great deal of experience. Working with the teacher to have kids go on a one-time hunt around the school is probably the best way to go .

 

Many (most?) school grounds are a lot like decent sized parks...with a big building in the middle of it. There is enough space to hide any number of caches and would be a great place to teach the students about being stealthy and being careful when searching so as to not destroy the landscaping/vegetation. You can identify the students who really embrace geocaching and go to the next level of hiding a cache.

 

A temporary, unpublished cache hidden by a teacher has the drawbacks that the students may not be exposed to writing an online log nor do the students get the reward of having someone log a find on a cache they hid.

[+OZ2CPU]

all beginners, and all kids, and all mugglers, and all unfriendly people

cause a mayor hazzard to caches..

 

so try to mix those together, you get a fail for sure situation.

 

you also need to put together a nice intro to the whole play fair part of it,

share the fun, share the game and all that,

they should be able to understand how it works.

you can not really do any kind of geocaching and keep it a total secret about

the main site geocaching.com they will find out in a few sec,

and they will also find out how to seek other caches in their whole school area,

and also where they live.. so propper education is a MUST, else they will vandalize caches all over..

[+OZ2CPU]

another idea, let them create accounts for each person or group them 2 or 3 or 4 together.

let them hide REAL caches for the other groups to find,

teach them about the FTF part of it too,

and about how much fun it can be, when the visitors hide correctly after a visit,

also talk about trade items, and kids and family, why kids thinks it is alot of fun to go out with their mom and dad

in a forrest and play hide and seek..

setup a little competition:

who in the class and create a cache, that OTHER cachers will give most FP

and also compeete, how long time will your caches live and keep good healty, dry and nice..

[Andronicus]

Two points:

 

I have been working on a Power Point to teach our Jr. Forest Wardens about geocaching, GPS navigation, coordinate system etc. If you would like it, I can send it to you. Just send me an e-mail.

 

You are not too inexperienced to set some temp. caches! Just make 4 or 5 caches up. They don't even need to be weather proof, as they will only be out there for a couple of days. Then hide them and recorde the coordinates. Done. If you want it to look more realistic, do up a cache page, but don't submit it for final approval. Then print the cache page. It will look all official and everything. You can even have the hint for the kids to de-crypt.

[4wheelin_fool]

12 year olds? Yes, it was a mistake. Even when kids do find caches without malice, they often leave them out in the open, or don't put the lid on correctly. Here is a recent log for a cache nearby. Muggled by ninth graders?:

 

Log Date: 1/10/2013

Rumor has it that some muggles from southern high school destroyed "a box with really wacky #%!$ in it at Nautilus Park" No joke, thats word for word what i heard from one of my fellow classmates in 9th grade. Go check on it, because the description sure sounds like a geocache. I mean really, unless its a letterbox or something, then im 99.999999999% sure that its the geocache.

Edited January 11, 2013 by 4wheelin_fool

[+NeverSummer]

Two points:

 

I have been working on a Power Point to teach our Jr. Forest Wardens about geocaching, GPS navigation, coordinate system etc. If you would like it, I can send it to you. Just send me an e-mail.

 

You are not too inexperienced to set some temp. caches! Just make 4 or 5 caches up. They don't even need to be weather proof, as they will only be out there for a couple of days. Then hide them and recorde the coordinates. Done. If you want it to look more realistic, do up a cache page, but don't submit it for final approval. Then print the cache page. It will look all official and everything. You can even have the hint for the kids to de-crypt.

GeocacheAlaska! has resources as well for Geocaching 101 ppts, etc.

 

But, they are geared toward community, adult events and lessons, not youngsters. Younger audiences will need background on GPS use and navigation, as well as adult supervision and continued coaching or guidance to make sure the game doesn't experience what 4wheelin_fool mentions above.

[+J the Goat]

another idea, let them create accounts for each person or group them 2 or 3 or 4 together.

let them hide REAL caches for the other groups to find,

teach them about the FTF part of it too,

and about how much fun it can be, when the visitors hide correctly after a visit,

also talk about trade items, and kids and family, why kids thinks it is alot of fun to go out with their mom and dad

in a forrest and play hide and seek..

setup a little competition:

who in the class and create a cache, that OTHER cachers will give most FP

and also compeete, how long time will your caches live and keep good healty, dry and nice..

 

No, no, no, no, no and no. All of these things will put into place exactly the things the OP is worried about. These are 11 and 12 year old kids. Most of the accounts will be abandoned in a week, real caches will fall apart and not be maintained, teaching FTF shenannigans to kids this age will do nothing to enhance anybody's experience. Geocaching shouldn't be about competetion, and teaching young kids this from a young age will ruin the experience for any of them who actually do decide to continue. Again, I can pretty much promise that any "real" cache that gets set up as part of this project won't be maintained after a month or so, and again, I maintain that geocaching is the wrong medium to teach kids about competion.

[+OZ2CPU]

maybe you misunderstood my point a little bit,

the word competition is not ment as the most importent thing, just used to get kids attention..

you got kids in that age group?

try tell them: let go in the forrest and count leaves or trees or find hidden boxes..

They say NO.. you go alone, call me if you find an iPhone..

or you try : let go out and play and run see who is the fastest in the forrest,

they say : sure dad lets see if you can keep up..

 

it dont matter much if their caches ends up as a mess, and will be archived after a few weeks

the reviewers are smart and fast, and so are all normal cachers in the area,

they will repport caches in bad shape, for either NM or NA and way before that, they get maybe alot of DNF,

if they are told a few things about quality, and water tight, and all that, they will also try to make it as good and smart as they can,

the more time they put into the cache and its hide, the more they will care about it, and the more they will be sad when it is muggled.

[+NeverSummer]

maybe you misunderstood my point a little bit,

the word competition is not ment as the most importent thing, just used to get kids attention..

If the idea of teaching something other than something out of a book isn't interesting enough, you have a very tough audience of 6th graders. There are a lot of educational theories and practices when it comes to science and outdoor education, and "competition" isn't something you use as a motivator. These concepts of geocaching are not difficult to use in a manner that isn't about competition: Navigation, history of navigation, map use, and finding hidden objects using a GPS to mark and return to points.

 

you got kids in that age group?

try tell them: let go in the forrest and count leaves or trees or find hidden boxes..

They say NO.. you go alone, call me if you find an iPhone..

or you try : let go out and play and run see who is the fastest in the forrest,

they say : sure dad lets see if you can keep up..

Just because you might use competition with your children at home doesn't mean that it has a place in a classroom as a motivator to teach science or outdoor education. It can be a part of the process, sure, but shouldn't be a key component of a lesson. The idea that students get to be out of a classroom and doing something new outside is a huge motivator. Trust me. I've taught many, many classes in this age group on this topic in schools and at learning centers.

[+Manville Possum]

Yes.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

I conduct Geocaching 101 style classes and presentations on a fairly frequent basis. Schools, Libraries, Events, Scout troops, Civic events, in magazines and on TV, etc.

 

I think it is a great family game and enjoy introducing it to kids.

 

I go to the site early and hide two or three temporary caches with kid-friendly swag in them. I give an approximately 15 minute presentation starting with what the GPS system is, how it works, show and explain a couple GPS receivers, then explain the game. I practice the KISS concept, giving them just enough info to understand GPS and geocaching but not enough to bore them. I let them pick from a bunch of swag on a table for the participants to use as trade items, then I take them out to find the temp caches I hid around the venue.

 

To my knowledge there has never been a problem with kids coming back to muggle the permanent caches in the area.

Edited January 13, 2013 by TheAlabamaRambler

[+tweetiepy]

I haven't heard back from the teacher on this, I think she may be mulling it over but honestly I think it's now a dead issue.

 

If she shows some sort of interest, I'll have to revisit the issue.

 

Thanks everyone for the input

[+JKMonkey]

Make up a fake cache and help her with it.

 

This sounds like the best cource of action. The other day I was talking to a friend of mine whose 17 and his responce to my explanation of Geocaching was "So why don't people just steal the caches?" When I tried to explain that it just ruins the game, he joked that he would go around and steal caches, then keep them as a prize for himself (which he was only joking about, but still it shows that even the oldest kids aren't as respectful as they should be with caches).

 

If you do use an actual cache, make sure it's either a temp or archived, don't need any more MIA active caches xD.

[GPS-Hermit]

It is best not to drag folks into this game - I have been wrong about how much other like this game. Sometimes they are just being nice! I prefer to tell folks about it and then let them come to me if interested. That way I am not pushing and they are excited about the new game. You can't just take anyone and expect total "whoopeeee I love it " to happen. You don't have to leave a class room to get the idea across. A second outdoor session can follow with a reduced really interested number of folks. 3 to 1 is a good maximum class. In this game it would be difficult to hold the entire classes attention when outdoors. I would set up a Non-published cache for an unconvinced learner.

[+Ambient_Skater]

You're not enabling anyone to find out about geocaching who otherwise couldn't have. Just keep in mind that for all the students who do return to destroy the caches, there are just as many who will enjoy the game and genuinely appreciate being told about it.