MiTEP EarthCache Format

Title

Short Description-

Provide a short description of the EarthCache site and the geological features that will be discovered.

Difficulty-

Provide a rating from 1 (easiest) to 5 (hardest) on the difficulty to navigate to and locate the EarthCache site.

Terrain-

Give a rating from 1 (easiest) to 5 (hardest) on the difficulty of the terrain found at the EarthCache site.

Coordinates-

Supply accurate coordinates of the EarthCache location OR provide a ‘starting point’ coordinate, followed by a series of coordinates that help navigate to the EarthCache site. Be sure that your GPS coordinates are displayed in Map Datum WGS 84 and set to hddd0mm.mmmm.

Key Earth Science / Geological Vocabulary Words-

Provide a comprehensive list of geological or earth science vocabulary terms and definitions that may cause difficulties for visitors to your EarthCache site.

Content Explanation & Images-

Clearly and accurately explain the significance of the geologic feature found at the EarthCache site.

Include an explanation of the geologic processes that are responsible for the formations of the feature.

Provide at least 2 diagrams or photos that support the written explanation of the site. Be sure to include the source of any images that you did not personally produce.

Remember that EarthCache site must be educational and that all explanations should be written to the reading age of an upper middle school student (14 year old).

Logging Questions-

Provide at least 1 logging test questions for a visitor to answer to prove that they have been to the EarthCache site. Logs should show that visitors have learned something by visiting the site. Your logging question(s) could be added through out the content explanation or added after the explanation. This will depend on how you present your information.

Access Information-

Give the name and contact information on the landowner of the EarthCache site. You must receive permission from every landowner, both public and private, in order to be published on the GSA EarthCache website. We will help you with this by providing a letter of permission to send to you landowner.

References and Citations

Provide a list of all of the books, websites, and other resources that you used in researching the content for you site. These citations should be written in APA format.

Date Visited-

Add the date that you visited the EarthCache site

Connections to Content:

Essential Question(s)- Present at least one question about a geologic concept that a visitor should be able to answer by visiting the EarthCache site and reading your content explanation.

Earth Science Literacy Principles’ Big Ideas - Present 1 or 2 Big Ideas that connect to the geologic features/processes of the EarthCache site.

Misconceptions- Provide at least one common misconception that visitors might have before exploring the earthcache and describe the evidence that they will see during their visit which will combat this misconception.

Earth Science Standards-List the specific Michigan (or National) Earth Science Standards that are connected to the EarthCache site.