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!)
ebensen@iastate.edu or call: 382-6551
– State 4-H E-SET Office (has 2 kits to reserve also)
• Holly Bignall: hbignall@iastate.edu or 294-2078
• Jay Staker: jstaker@iastate.edu 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: david@runneals.com or janerun@iastate.edu
– 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: http://edcommunity.esri.com/arclessons/lesson.cfm?
id=300

– Heartland AEA (will also tell you which curriculum standards are
met through GPS work)
links:http://www.alicechristie.org/geocaching/index.html OR
http://www.aea11.k12.ia.us/science/GPS.html
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: janerun@iastate.edu
– David Runneals: david@runneals.com
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!) 