GPS Activities for the Classroom

Activity Description: Describe in as much detail as possible.

What do you want the students to learn?

• Collect information by observing and measuring (3.2B).
• Variety of tools and methods (3.4A).
• Analyze and interpret information to construct reasonable explanations…direct and indirect evidence (3.2C).
• Communicate valid conclusions (3.2D).
• Construct maps to organize, examine, and evaluate information (3.2E).
• Observe and describe the habitats of living organisms within an ecosystem (3.8A).
• Describe environmental changes in which some organisms would thrive, become ill, or perish (3.8C).

Set-up

• Cameras, GPS, notebooks, woods, proper clothing, pencils
• Students in groups

What steps will the students take?

• Each group’s goal is to find five (5) examples of organisms and their habitats within a woods ecosystem.
• They are to use their cameras to record each habitat.
• They will download and print the pictures and glue them in their notebooks along with their observations of that habitat including any damage to that habitat and what may happen to the organisms as a result of that damage.
• Teacher uses GPS and plots waypoints with the kids to document habitat locations; include in notebook.
• Students draw a map documenting the locations and coordinates of the habitats.

Extra Activities?

Elementary GPS Lessons

Middle School GPS Lessons

High School GPS Lessons