Geocaching-Lessons for O&M: A Practical, Hands-On Introduction to Using Geocaching Tools and O&M Lesson Planning for Students with Visual Impairments and Blindness.
Why Geocache? Fun & great activity for families
Opportunity to explore new places & to get outside
Life lessons: Children, who are blind, learn best by doing, don’t get a lot of exercise, miss a lot of concepts and don’t realize what they don’t know or what they are missing in the environment.
We want our students to be able to “move freely in the environment, solve problems, communicate to optimize social & vocational relationships, and to learn continuously” (From “Move, Touch, Do” APH)
Geocaching is a worldwide game of hiding & seeking a treasure!
A geocacher can place a cache anywhere in the world; pinpoint it’s location using GPS technology and then share the coordinates online. Anyone with a GPS device then can download coordinates and attempt to locate it.
Geo is taken from the word Geography and a Cache is defined as a hiding place for concealing and preserving provisions.
Geo-Caching began in 2000 with the opening up of public access to the GPS Satellites.
There are over 2 million Geo-Caches in the world-over 6359 in Louisiana and over 6 million cachers!
What do you need to participate? A GPS & access to the Internet and a sense of adventure!
To locate a Cache go to www.geocaching.com
*May join for free (basic membership) but must register as a User.
*Click “ Hide & Seek a Cache” link
*Enter your postal code & click ‘ Search”
*Download or enter coordinates into GPS device & go caching!
*If cache is located, sign log, trade items & return cache to hiding place.
*Once back home, log find on website & post comments and/or photos.
What is in a Cache? Anything, which can fit into the cache container but all need to have a logbook.
NO foods, weapons, drugs, alcohol, unsafe items, etc. Use common sense.
Some caches may require a ‘theme’ such as a SPORTS & only request sport items to be traded in the cache.
Anyone can ‘hide’ a cache, one most scope out a site, record the coordinates, post to the Geocaching site for review and if accepted, it will be published on the site.
Types of Caches:
Traditional: Stored in ammo canister or waterproof plastic containers.
Multi: Coordinates will lead you to a spot to get another coordinate, which may lead you to another or directly to the cache.
Earth Cache: A special place to visit to learn about a unique geoscience feature or aspect of the Earth. No cache container, one will need to take photo of self at the site with GPS in the photo & may need to answer some questions emailing answers to owner/ of site to get credit for find. For more information go to http://www.earthcache.org/.
Other types: Event, Puzzle, and or Micro
Caches can be found under rocks or logs, in stonewalls, trees, etc. They are never ‘buried’ only hidden or disguised!
All Cache containers are marked as Geo-caches & always have a logbook.
When choosing to search for a cache-always check:
Terrain rating
Difficulty rating
HINT
Check out logs to see if folks have had difficulty in finding the cache.
Remember to take map, compass, hints, water, plastic bag, whistle, etc., mark where parking location as a waypoint, in case you get lost…..
Cache in-Trash out!
Cache Rules:
*Write something in the logbook, include date & caching name.
*If one takes something from the cache, should leave something in exchange.
*Log & post comments on Internet site.
Geo-Cache Terms:
*Muggles: Folks who do not geo-cache!
*FTF: First To Find (Usually get a special surprise!)
*TFTC: Thanks For The Cache
*TNLN: Took Nothing, Left Nothing
Other ways to participate without a GPS
Travel Bugs or Geo-coins are traceable items which can be followed on the website. Instead of find caches, your item will visit difference caches, being carried from cache to cache by other geocachers. Some travel bugs/coins have ‘missions” such as traveling to state capitals, or to different countries etc. Once the bug or coin is moved, it must be log in so one can track it.
Or set up your own Cache.
O&M Applications?
May be able to use Geo-coins & travel bugs with students to follow progress on Internet.
Visual & tactile scanning
Preplanning routes
Problem solving
Compass skills
Map reading
Device/s use & practice
Team effort
Fun & motivating
Incorporates O&M skills (visual & conceptual)
Use today’s technology
Expands horizons beyond immediate community
Limitations:
Visual access to device (GPS)
Visual access to Cache (target)
Enhance placed targets (temporarily)
Add additional clues (maps, etc.)
Create own targets & input coordinates
Braille Hint or directions
Family members learn how to describe environments
May wish to set up and hide a cache with sighted friends/families
Barriers: Caches may be hard to locate without a lot of hints
Usually need a car to get to locations
Many caches are in wooded locations
Adaptations: Using audio markers
Braille ‘Hint’ or directions/descriptions
Add own visual/audio markers to caches
More Information
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Geocaching, Second Edition
Authored by the editors and staff of Geocaching.com
The Joy of Geocaching: How to Find Health, Happiness & Creative Energy Through a Worldwide Treasure Hunt: Paul & Dana Gillin 2010
Educaching GPS Based Curriculum for Teachers: http://educaching.com/
Other Resources
www.opencaching.com and www.opencaching.us
www.Waymarking.com provides tools to catalog mark and visit interesting and useful locations around the world.
Letterboxing www.letterboxing.org Letterboxers hide small, weatherproof boxes in publicly-accessible places (like parks) and post clues to finding the box online on one of several Web sites. However, clues to finding some of the most highly-sought boxes are passed around by word of mouth. There are about 20,000 letterboxes hidden in North America. Individual letterboxes usually contain a log book, an often hand-carved rubber stamp and may contain an ink pad. Finders make an imprint of the letterbox's stamp on their personal log book, and leave an imprint of their personal stamp on the letterbox's logbook .
Thanks for coming!
Chasandmeg MichelleJA
Meg Robertson COMS Michelle Antinarelli COMS
Usual Worded Sign on Geo Cache boxes
“Congratulations! You have found it! (Whether intentionally or not!) This container is a part of a world-wide adventure game called “Geocaching”.
Players use the Internet and handheld GPS units to locate boxes just like this one all over the globe. If you found this box by accident, please do not move it. If you wish to play along, please take something from the box, leave something else, sign the logbook inside and re-hide the container where you found it.
For more information visit www.geocaching.com.”
For information on the box please use the reference number below: GC_ _ _ _ _
Geo-Caching Presentation New Orleans 12/2013 &