Jump to content

Earthcache Design - Cache Carnival Event


STNolan

Recommended Posts

Hello all,

 

I'm looking for some feedback regarding a Creation Celebration event that I'm hosting next month.

 

https://coord.info/GC84YQG

 

I have reached out and gotten some great feedback from my GeoAware, (#4 ~ LadybugKids) but I'm hoping for some additional feedback from you all, the Earthcache hiders and seekers! 

 

Any pitfalls or other items you'd think is necessary to hit on?

After I finish developing the powerpoint and handouts I'll post them here (thanks again to my GeoAware for some great starting off points). 

Link to comment

Feel free to steal from my email template for permission.

 

Quote
  • Including a segment on what features aren't allowed and why!

 

I presume this is to touch on the limited types, such as springs, waterfalls, and most recently, wetlands.  It's not that they are not allowed - they get extra scrutiny, as the generic lessons on those features that used to get by ("This building is made of is granite.  Let's talk about granite." or "This is a spring.  What's it's flow rate?") are insufficient.  They're doable, though; we own a few that fall into this.  Overall, these shouldn't be viewed as absolute bars, but as specific examples of the overall requirement that the earthcache focus on a unique feature.  What about this spring, or waterfall, or brick, is different?

 

Quote
  • Common Pitfalls in the Reviewer Process

 

Reviewing process, maybe?  Unless you're talking about how reviewers are picked... :anibad:

 

Quote

 

Building a lesson plan

 

Wikipedia should be the start of research, not the end.  But there's a balance, because the lesson has to be accessible.  I found myself doing a lot of reading on a lot of topics that were over my head when I was looking at geology papers.  I've had a few instances where I thought a spot would be great for an earthcache, but the sources were either too general or WAAAAY too specific and technical.

 

I found that some of the best sources were not scientific research papers, which can be hard to digest and translate into lay language, but geologic resource reports (the US National Park Service has some great ones - I used a previous version of this one as a main source for our two earthcaches at Fort Jefferson).  They get scientific, but the authors are also (usually) pretty good about assuming no prior knowledge of subjects, which is the same approach an earthcache should take.

Link to comment
34 minutes ago, hzoi said:

I presume this is to touch on the limited types, such as springs, waterfalls, and most recently, wetlands.  It's not that they are not allowed - they get extra scrutiny, as the generic lessons on those features that used to get by ("This building is made of is granite.  Let's talk about granite." or "This is a spring.  What's it's flow rate?") are insufficient.  They're doable, though; we own a few that fall into this.  Overall, these shouldn't be viewed as absolute bars, but as specific examples of the overall requirement that the earthcache focus on a unique feature.  What about this spring, or waterfall, or brick, is different?

 

Correct, my intent with this section is to provide an oversight on why they might discover some Earthcaches out there that are no longer able to be emulated (i.e. we have an old-style Waterfall EC in our borough which asks "identify the waterfall" questions.) Additionally we'll go over earth science-esque topics that they may be considering but which aren't allowed (biology, geography etc). Additionally as you mentioned we will be discussing how some "limited" types can still be done, so long as they are unique. My most recently published cache deals with building composition but because of the way in which the lesson was framed (compare and contrast two different "life-stages" of the rock that are visible) it provided a sufficiently unique and interesting lesson to be published (GC84EMM for the curious). 

 

34 minutes ago, hzoi said:

Reviewing process, maybe? 

 

Agreed though I always do a lot of interaction with the Reviewer while writing and submitting an EC. :laughing:

 

34 minutes ago, hzoi said:

Unless you're talking about how reviewers are picked... :anibad:

 

If you have any classified details on that which you'd like to share, I'm all ears. :antenna:

 

34 minutes ago, hzoi said:

Wikipedia should be the start of research, not the end.  But there's a balance, because the lesson has to be accessible.  I found myself doing a lot of reading on a lot of topics that were over my head when I was looking at geology papers.  I've had a few instances where I thought a spot would be great for an earthcache, but the sources were either too general or WAAAAY too specific and technical.

 

I found that some of the best sources were not scientific research papers, which can be hard to digest and translate into lay language, but geologic resource reports (the US National Park Service has some great ones - I used a previous version of this one as a main source for our two earthcaches at Fort Jefferson).  They get scientific, but the authors are also (usually) pretty good about assuming no prior knowledge of subjects, which is the same approach an earthcache should take.

 

Agreed on this. I always start by identifying a feature that I think might be worthy then I go to Wikipedia to read up on it. Sometimes that's as far as I get in the process: either the feature turns out to not be "unique," or it turns out to not be geological in nature, or it might just be to technical for me (personally) to distill the information into a teachable lesson.

 

From there I often go to a google search for "Earthcache {Geological Feature}." This helps me find other people who may have had a similar EC. Can I use their logging task or sources as a starting point for my own research? Finally it's about using the sources themselves to develop a concise, accurate, yet understandable lesson. This is often the most involved part.

 

34 minutes ago, hzoi said:

Feel free to steal from my email template for permission.

 

I'm one of those EC guys who gets permission last. I'd rather know I have a good lesson before I get permission, though I understand the stance of getting permission first.

Edited by STNolan
Link to comment
18 hours ago, STNolan said:
19 hours ago, hzoi said:

Feel free to steal from my email template for permission.

 

I'm one of those EC guys who gets permission last. I'd rather know I have a good lesson before I get permission, though I understand the stance of getting permission first.

 

I usually put some draft together so I can attach it (PDF of the webpage) and they know what the heck I'm talking about.  But for potentially sensitive areas like wildlife refuges, sometimes it's good to get permission up front so I know I'm not wasting my time.

 

18 hours ago, STNolan said:
19 hours ago, hzoi said:

Unless you're talking about how reviewers are picked... :anibad:

 

If you have any classified details on that which you'd like to share, I'm all ears. :antenna:

 

Yeah...no.  I signed a nondisclosure agreement.  I probably toe the line on it from time to time, and I kind of like seeing how the sausage gets made, so Imma pass on lifting the curtain.

Link to comment
1 hour ago, hzoi said:

Yeah...no.  I signed a nondisclosure agreement.  I probably toe the line on it from time to time, and I kind of like seeing how the sausage gets made, so Imma pass on lifting the curtain.

 

Does Groundspeak have their own SF-312? Asking for a friend. :laughing:

 

1 hour ago, hzoi said:

 

I usually put some draft together so I can attach it (PDF of the webpage) and they know what the heck I'm talking about.  But for potentially sensitive areas like wildlife refuges, sometimes it's good to get permission up front so I know I'm not wasting my time.

 

I don't think it's a waste of time; I just might not get to use that write up for THAT location. There are very few earth cache sites that are SO unique that you can't find a way to recycle a portion of the science on a different listing.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...