Geocaching Lesson Plan

Overview

Fifth Grade students use latitude and longitude and technology to gain real world connections to social studies skills.

What is geocaching?

Geocaching is an outdoor activity where groups of students use handheld GPS units to find specific locations using latitude and longitude. Four hidden containers called caches were hidden around our school campus. Working in pairs, the students took turns using the GPS unit to find these caches.

Challenges

• Heavy prep time for activities
• Lack of time
• Developing skills with new technology
• Need for additional adult support
• Health concerns

Lesson Plan

The unit consists of four tasks.

• A self-guided Webquest
• Geocaching activity with partners
• Creation of a digital project using Padlet
• Peer teaching lesson on directions and geocaching

Cooperative Learning Group

Essential Questions

Students work in heterogenous groups to create

a real world profile of an important place from

History.

Student roles: Photographer, Researcher,

Writer and Google Earth Expert

Students collaborate using Office 365 to post

the Location, its latitude & longitude, region, a picture and how its the location affected human

activities.

Differentiation

• How can longitude and latitude be used to find real world locations?
• How can the use of Global Positioning System devices be useful to people and businesses?
• How did location and geography affect human actions in important places in history?
• How can you use cardinal and intermediate directions to find a specific location?

Standards

• Hetergenous grouping provides support through peer helpers.
• Tiered formative assessment questions
• Support for ELL/FL through Google Translator
• Adaptive modifications for students with diverse needs
• Co-teacher and para-professional support

Social Studies

• Students locate important places in the United States (SS5G1a & b).

• Students use cardinal directions and intermediate directions (map skills).

• Students use latitude and longitude to determine location (map skills).

• Students compare different locations and evaluate how geography

affected human activities in history.

Science

• Students use tools and instruments for observing, measuring, and manipulating objects in scientific activities (S5CS3).

Physical Education

• Students participate in physical activities that provide important opportunities for challenges in social interaction and group membership with the goal of voluntary participation outside of class (PE5.3c)

FINAL ACTIVITY

Fifth Graders help the First Graders learn

directions and geocaching!

PADLET PROJECT RUBRIC

ISTE STANDARDS

PADLET PROJECT

Webquest Activity

• Students engage in positive, safe, legal and ethical behavior

when using technology, including social interactions online or when using networked devices (2b).

• Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits (3a).

• Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations (6b).

• Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models or simulations (6c).

• Students contribute constructively to project teams, assuming various roles and responsibilities to work effectively toward a common goal (7c).

Geocaching

A Fifth Grade Lesson Plan