Gps Teacher Present 6 09

Learn & Have Fun with GPS What is it? How can I use it with my class? By Jane & David Runneals Central Area 4-H Tech Team

This presentation was given to Nevada Middle and High School teachers as part of their year-end technology training on 6/4/09 by Jane & David Runneals.

Special thanks to Barb Roberts, U of IL Extension, for assistance with some of the information/slides contained in this presentation

What You’ll Learn Today • What is GPS? • How does GPS Work? • What can we do with GPS? • How do I use a hand-held GPS? • 2 Hands-on Activities • What can I do with GPS & GIS in my class? • Learn even MORE – Resources to Help

What is GPS??

Global Positioning System **GPS can pinpoint the latitude/longitude of a location anywhere on earth

GPS = Global Positioning Systems

• What is your position in the world? • Latitude and longitude coordinates identify location (Courtesy U of IL Extension)

How Does it Work? • 24 Satellites circle the earth 2x/day – Do we need 3 or 4 to pinpoint our location??? – You only need 3 satellites to find latitude and longitude, but you need 4 satellites to find latitude, longitude AND altitude

More detailed info. at: • http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/gps/work.html • http://scign.jpl.nasa.gov/learn/gps2.htm

What Can I Do With It? • For Navigation: – –

Mark waypoints – learn abt. lat/long Make a map with the marked points

• For tracking something over time: - Mark location you want to go back to – ie – monitor tree health - Water Quality Testing – do every year or more-check at same place each time

What Can I Do With It? • For Fun: – Go geocaching – Identify and record an earthcache with your class

http://www.earthcache.org/ – (special section for teachers)

– Have a class scavenger hunt --with a purpose!

How Do I Use a GPS? • Garmin eTrex Legends – – –

Features (2-page user’s guide) Accuracy – usu. w/in 10-30 ft. How To Use • follow handout

What you need for your GPS TWO free software programs: – EasyGPS - use this program to download marked waypoints off your GPS Receiver

http://www.easygps.com/ – MN DNR Garmin site – use this program to convert GPX files to KML files for mapping http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mis/gis/tools/arcview/extensi ons/DNRGarmin/DNRGarmin.html

TODAY = Hands-On GPS Activities A) GPS Scavenger Hunt – Find the marked waypoints around the school – Answer the questions on the sheet

B) Mark & Map Waypoints - Mark 2-3 waypoints, use EasyGPS to download, then use ArcExplorer to map them

Marking a Waypoint

Process Activity • What did we learn? – – – –

Mark a lat/long waypoint Map a waypoint Use of Easting/Northing units to navigate How cool a hand-held GPS unit is! Power in your hand!

• How could I use this with my class? – If I modified it –

A) Cache In/Trash Out activity – (find “treasures” or landmarks while cleaning up a park/cemetery) B) Class Adventure outings – mark educational locations you want the class members to find. OR Service project idea: – Help GPS mark trails for a camp/city or co. park, etc.

C) Set out your own class “trackable item” – travel bug http://www.geocaching.com/track/

How we use GPS in 4-H GPS – - Set up Scavenger hunts for the public • State 4-H Camp – trail marking; GPS hunt • Story Co. Fairgrounds & State Fair Activities - Trackable travel bugs with “missions”

GIS Mapping Projects – Service Learning Projects & Maps Work with ISU GIS Lab & professionals Present at ISU’s GIS Day & ESRI Educators User’s Conf. in San Diego - 7/09 – Assist with 2-Day GIS/GPS Educator Trng. - 4/09 – – –

SKILLS we’re learning with 4-H GIS/GPS

• Technical & Computer Skills – GPS, computer • Problem Solving Skills • Serving our Communities • Developing partnerships • Leadership • Presentation Skills • Teamwork • Connecting with other like-minded groups nationwide • Other Great Stuff!

Ways to use GPS in School A) Discuss careers that would use GPS technology

in their work – (beyond the obvious cartographers) B) WHERE GPS Technology is used - Vehicles & Ag Equipmt./Precision Agriculture - Military, Surveying, Recreation, etc. - Mapping out community infrastructures – precise locations of utilities, fire hydrants, etc. C) As a class, figure out where the “Confluence” of the closest lat/long is to Nevada - lesson ideas at:

http://education.usgs.gov/common/lessons/teaching_with_the_degree_co

YOUR ideas – --please share

GPS Use in School • ArcGIS Explorer and/or Google Earth – Free program downloads. Fun to explore here or pull GPS waypoints in.

• Augmented Reality – – Use Mscapes or HARP to program interactive activity using GPS points • PDA’s avail. thru Heartland AEA (Denise Krefting)

Other Ways to Use GPS • GIS Mapping work – – –

Geospatial (where on earth am I – lat/long) Information (marked points/geocodes) Systems (using a map to help it make sense)

• Hawaii – 1st State in US to have all their schools set up to use GIS mapping

Getting Started

• What I need for my class: – GPS Units – (don’t forget extra batteries!) – Lesson/activity – • Your Own Idea – around the school, in the community, etc. • Web Resources: 1 idea----

– U of IL Extension/4-H lessons/curriculum: www.extension.uiuc.edu/lawrencerichland/ (under Just for Teachers tab – geospatial resources)

– A Computer w/ Easy GPS loaded (to download waypoints) • To load pre-marked points on everyone’s GPS receiver

GPS Resources •GPS Units –

– Story Co. Extension Office (e-mail Eldon Bensen to reserve 2 kits [20 units] for FREE!) [email protected]

or call: 382-6551

– State 4-H E-SET Office (has 2 kits to reserve also) • Holly Bignall: [email protected] or 294-2078 • Jay Staker: [email protected] or 294-8417

- Heartland AEA Office – Science website (has 3 kits): http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us:16080/science/kits.html

GPS Resources •People

– State 4-H SET Office & Story County Extension Office – Story County Conservation – Jerry Keys & Carol Williams (BOTH excellent resources – Jerry for GPS info. & Carol for project ideas) – Jane & David + Central IA Area 4-H Tech Team – contact at: [email protected] or [email protected] – Iowa Geospatial Education Community: http://groups.google.com/group/iowa-geospatial-education-community?hl=en

GPS Resources

•Books/Articles: just a few to get started – – – –

GPS for Dummies (avail. at NPL) The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Geocaching GIS for Dummies Google Earth & GPS Classroom Activities Intermediate Science: Grades 5-8 (Spiral-bound)

– Thinking Spatially Using GIS – find discounted at: http://www.gisetc.com/products.html

GPS Resources

•Websites:

A few ideas to get you started at

this link: http:// www.gis.centralareatechteam.org/ncsdlinks.php

They include: – Geocaching – www.geocaching.com – Earthcaching – A geographical site run by GSA– www.earthcache.org

– Itouch Map - http://www.itouchmap.com/ • (Maps and Utilities for the PC, Mac, iPhone, iPod touch and Smartphones)

– U of IL Extension --Geospatial:

http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/lawrencerichland/teachers.html (lessons under the Just for Teachers category)

More Website Resources • http://scign.jpl.nasa.gov/learn/index.htm – (HS level and above – CA GPS Education Module)

• My Wonderful World (Nat. Geographic): – http://www.mywonderfulworld.org/

• NASA’s Earth observatory:

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/

More Website Resources •

GIS/GPS info.: – http://www.eschoolnews.com/resources/gis-and-geographic-inquiry/

• ISU Extension-Geospatial resources – Quick Task Sheets

– http://www.extension.iastate.edu/gis/tasksheets

•

(amazing shots of earth!) – http://www.earthkam.ucsd.edu/

• And a link there specifically for students./teachers:

http://www.earthkam.ucsd.edu/public/students/index.shtml

More Website Resources • Google for Educators (for EVERY subject): http://www.google.com/educators/geo_class.html AND Google Earth Lessons: http://gelessons.com/

GIS Resources: 3 David wants to share – http://www.extension.org/geospatial%20technology – http://www.kmlfactbook.org/ – http://www.data.gov/catalog/category/0/agency/0/filter//type/k

GPS Resources • YOUR Turn to Share……… see handout for ideas • Some Lessons to look at: – ESRI’s ArcLessons:

http://edcommunity.esri.com/arclessons/lesson.cfm?id=315

• Measure circumference of the earth at: id=300

http://edcommunity.esri.com/arclessons/lesson.cfm?

– Heartland AEA (will also tell you which curriculum standards are met through GPS work)

links:http://www.alicechristie.org/geocaching/index.html http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us/science/GPS.html

OR

Successful Geospatial Curriculum Strategies • Success story – geospatial

technology program in Santa Barbara, CA http://www.publicschoolinsights.org/node/2025

•EAST Initiative: Multi-faceted tech program in schools across the US http://www.eastinitiative.org/

DO “GPS” This Summer • Start Small - make a plan to incorporate just

ONE GPS-related lesson into your curriculum next year (use the “People” resources if needed) • Connect with the IA Geospatial Education Google Grp. – David can set you up • Go Geocaching with your family/friends or class! (Call David – he’s always up for it!!! Several in Nevada or set up your own or use our idea from today’s activities) • Visit the Traveling GPS Adventures display in the Quad Cities….

GPS Traveling Exhibit More fun & learning abt. GPS at: http://www.gpsmaze.com/ “GPS Adventures” Traveling Exhibit Putnam Museum – Quad Cities NOW thru Sept. 7th (Great Student/Teacher/Parent GPS info. avail. on this site too!)

What You Learned Today • What is GPS & how does it work • Where is it used • How to use a hand-held GPS • What can we do with GPS in the classroom • Resources for more information • GPS is fun to use and offers many learning opportunities for you and your class

Learn & Have Fun with GPS! Thank you for letting us share with you today!

• Questions?? Let us know how we can help: – Jane Runneals: [email protected] – David Runneals: [email protected]

Lastly - A Tech-Related Freebie One AMAZING Site all Teachers Need to Know About:

www.freetech4teachers.com We suggest signing up for the FREE daily e-mail which has 3-4 new free sites highlighted every day. A VERY techie teacher puts all this together in “layperson’s language” - it’s wonderful stuff for your classroom (grouped by subject)! (David & I just had to share this site with you! If you can’t find something useful on here to use with your class, you aren’t looking hard enough!) 