Would like student to:

a) Understand the utility of GPS technology

b) Practice using theory to solve practical problems

c) Understand how latitude and longitude are used to identify locations

d) Practice analytic thinking of posed problems

a) 6-9 GPS handheld recievers

b) Large space from which coordinates can be collected (i.e. football field)

c) Means of measuring large distances (i.e. rolling meter stick)

Procedure

Opener:

Start with a story about hiking a mountain and getting turned around when walking off the trail. Ask students how they would find their way back to the trail in this situation. Could GPS help? Then open up to a discussion of how else GPS can be used.

Development:

Organize the sutdents into groups a 2-4, hand-out worksheet and explain what will be happening outside. Explain the worksheet and what data they will need to collect. Hand out the GPS hamdheld recievers and review how they work (make sure they all have full batteries). Then take them outside. Once at the first, have the entire class work together to determine the coordinates (double checking that every knows what they are looking for). Then let the students move through the 4-8 predetermined stations around the field. Follow the groups around to make sure they are on task and collecting proper information.

Closer:

Gather the students and return to class for the last 10 minutes of the period. Use these last minutes to check in with the groups and have a class discussion about what they learned. Assign the last bit of the worksheet as homework.

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