Geo...what? Geocaching is an outdoor treasure hunt that kids and adults can enjoy. It allows the students opportunities for problem solving, application of math skills, inferring skills, and can be used with any topic or any skill or level.
Generally, we do multiple geocaches through the year. At this point in the year we still use flags or other items to guide the students. By the end of the year, we use the school's GPS machines to actually input coordinates and locate "treasures".
For St. Patrick's Day we do a Leprechaun Geocaching event. Prior to our geocaching, the students complete math problems and use the problems to break the codes. These riddles will help them to identify the correct flag color to go to next. For this we run copies of a leprechaun door hanger. Then the teachers cut apart all of the pieces and the pieces are placed in caches (boxes). One of our teachers sets them out across a wide grassy area. The students move in three different groups. The key is to have each group start on a different sheet, so that they are moving to different caches and don't bump into the other groups. At each cache the students take one piece. As they move from cache to cache they will collect each piece of the door hanger.
When we come back to the room, the students piece together their "treasure" and color their very own leprechaun! It is a fun time had by all!
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On the HUNT! This is one group as they headed out for their first flag. |
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The sheets they are carrying are the pages they completed prior to going Geocaching. Each riddle gave them a color flag to find. The bags hold the pieces of their leprechauns as they collect them. |
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This is an example of the “flags” that the students find. Each arrow is pointing in a different direction and is a different color. |
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| Here is the final product! |
Michelle
Fun, fun, fun!
ReplyDeleteJennifer
First Grade Blue SKies
so cute!
ReplyDeleteThanks!!!
ReplyDelete