Cub Scout Geocaching - pack204millerplace.org does a GPS work? Cub Scout Geocaching • GPS was originally intended for military applications, but in the 1980s, the government ...

Cub Scout Geocaching

Suffolk County Council Cub Pow-Wow 2011 1


• Geocaching is relatively new

• It's a high-tech treasure hunt

• It started in 2000 by an engineer in Portland,

Oregon

• In less than a decade, it has grown to over six

million active players


What is Geocaching?


• Players hide and seek containers called caches

or geocaches

• Then they go online to report what they’ve

found and give clues to others that might want

to seek what they just hid

• It's fun, challenging, and interesting for

individuals, families, and groups


What is Geocaching?


• Geo-Scouting is the partnership of Scouting and

Geocaching

• It can be used to help promote recruiting,

retention, advancement and public relations of

your Cub Scout Pack


What is Geo-Scouting?


• Plan ahead - In their excitement players may not be as careful as they should be

• Don’t place a cache in an area that may lead to a dangerous situation

• Stay far from road traffic and railroad crossings

• Don’t place a cache higher than six feet or require any dangerous climbing to reach the cache


Geocaching Rule #1: Be Safe


• Don’t require players to swim to reach a cache

• Use the buddy system

• Always use Two Deep Leadership


Geocaching Rule #1: Be Safe (continued)


• Use Geocaching to teach Scouts how to have

fun, but “Leave No Trace”

• Hide a cache, but never bury one in the ground

• Avoid sensitive eco-systems

• Remember players will often make a beeline for

the cache, trampling vegetation in the vicinity


Geocaching Rule #2: Respect the Environment


• Place caches so that they can be reached through existing trail access

• Don’t place caches in archeological or historic sites

• Don’t deface any object, natural or man-made

• Avoid hiding caches in light post bases, sprinkler heads, and other similar objects to keep them from being torn apart


Geocaching Rule #2: Respect the Environment


• Get permission from land managers to use parks or Scout camps for your events

• Don’t put caches on National Park land or National Wildlife refuges

• Do not place caches in or near military installations

• Don’t place caches on elementary or secondary school property


Geocaching Rule #3: Respect Private Property


• Don’t place caches on or near highway bridges,

dams, government buildings, or airports


Geocaching Rule #3: Respect Private Property


• As with everything we do in Scouting, Geocache

abiding by the Scout Oath and Law


Geocaching Rule #4: Be a positive ambassador

for Scouting


• Plan ahead and prepare

• Travel and camp on durable surfaces

• Dispose of waste properly

• Leave what you find

• Minimize campfire impacts

• Respect wildlife

• Be considerate of other visitors


Geocaching and the Leave No Trace Principles


• Be prepared! Remember food and water, and

clothes to protect you from cold, heat and rain

• Use maps to plan where you’re going. Check

them along the way so you’ll stay on course and

won’t get lost

• Learn about the areas you plan to visit

• The more you know, the more fun you’ll have


Leave No Trace - Plan ahead and prepare


• Walk and ride on designated trails to protect

trailside plants

• Do not step on flowers or small trees. Once

damaged, they may not grow back


Leave No Trace – Travel on durable surfaces


• Pack it in, Pack it out. Put litter–even crumbs,

peels and cores–in garbage bags and carry it

home

• Use bathrooms or outhouses when available

• Keep water clean. Do not put soap, food, or

human or pet waste in lakes or streams.


Leave No Trace - Dispose of waste properly


• Leave plants, rocks and historical items as you

find them so others can enjoy them

• Never destroy any natural setting whether

hiding or seeking a geocache

• Don’t place caches in places that may cause

others to disturb the natural setting when

searching for them


Leave No Trace - Leave what you find


• If you want to have a campfire, be sure it’s permitted and safe to build a fire in the area you’re visiting

• Use only existing fire rings to protect the ground from heat. Keep your fire small

• Remember, a campfire isn’t a garbage can. Pack out all trash and food

• This is not really relevant for Geocaching but is good to know!


Leave No Trace - Minimize campfire impacts


• Observe wildlife from a distance and never

approach, feed or follow them

• Human food is unhealthy for wildlife and

feeding them starts bad habits

• Protect wildlife and your food by securely

storing your meals and trash.


Leave No Trace - Respect wildlife


• Be considerate when passing others on the trail

• Keep your pet under control to protect it, other

visitors and wildlife

• Listen to nature. Avoid making loud noises or

yelling. You will see more wildlife if you are quiet

• Be sure the fun you have outdoors does not bother

anyone else. Remember, other visitors are there to

enjoy the outdoors too


Leave No Trace - Be considerate of other visitors



How does GPS work?


• The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a space-

based global navigation satellite system that

provides location information in all weather,

anywhere on or near the Earth using four or

more GPS satellites

• The GPS project was developed in 1973 to

overcome the limitations of previous navigation

systems by the U.S. government


How does a GPS work?


• GPS was originally intended for military applications, but in the 1980s, the government made the system available for civilian use

• GPS satellites circle the earth twice a day in a very precise orbit and transmit signal information to earth

• Commercially available GPS receivers are accurate from 3 to 15 meters based on the receiver circuitry used


How does a GPS work? (cont’d)


• Signal multipath occurs when the GPS signal is

reflected off objects such as tall buildings or

large rock surfaces

• Number of satellites visible - The more satellites

a GPS receiver can see, the better the accuracy

• Buildings, terrain, electronic interference, or

sometimes even dense foliage can block signal

reception


How does a GPS work - Sources of GPS errors


• GPS coordinates are broken down into Latitude

and Longitude

• Latitude lines run horizontally

• To remember latitude, imagine them as the

horizontal rungs of a ladder

• Degrees latitude are numbered from 0° to 90°

north and south. Zero degrees is the equator


How does a GPS work? - Locations on the Earth


• Longitude lines run vertically

• Zero degrees longitude is located at Greenwich,

England

• The degrees continue 180° east and 180° west

where they meet and form the International

Date Line in the Pacific Ocean






Latitude Longitude


• Lines of longitude and latitude have been divided into degrees (°) minutes (') and seconds (")

• There are 60 minutes in each degree Each minute is divided into 60 seconds

• Seconds can be further divided into tenths, hundredths, or even thousandths

• The U.S. Capitol is located at 38°53'23"N , 77°00'27"W


How Latitude and Longitude Work Together to

precisely locate points on the earth's surface


• All Cub Scouts are intrigued by technology

• Tiger and Wolf Cubs are not able to program the

GPS unit and will struggle to do more than just

“follow the arrow”

• Older Webelos Scouts like more challenge, and

can often change the GPS unit from one

waypoint to another by themselves


How to introduce the GPS to Cub Scouts?


• When you begin try to only focus on the

features of the GPS unit that the Scouts actually

need to use for the specific activity at hand

• Games should be simple with easy rules

• Younger scouts really like getting a prize even if

the prize is just a sticker, or slip of paper with a

logo on it




• It may help to have the older Cub Scout go with

them on the hunt

• keep them in sight so you can monitor their

progress and see if they need help




• Your GPS unit can – and will fail

• Batteries may die

• You may be located in a spot where you can’t

get good satellite reception

• You may accidentally program in the wrong GPS

coordinates and be heading in the wrong

direction


The Importance of Knowing Map & Compass


• The GPS is only going to tell you how far you

need to go and in what direction

• It is not always going to tell you about the

obstacles that may lie between you and your

destination


The Importance of Knowing Map & Compass


• Any Internet use requires common sense as well as parental permission

• Never to give out personal information

• Never write to someone who has made you feel uncomfortable or scared

• Do not meet someone or have him or her visit you without the permission of your parents

• Tell your parents right away if you read anything on the Internet that makes you feel uncomfortable

• Remember that people online may not be who they say they are


Geocaching and the Internet – Internet Safety


• earthcache.org

• lists locations where people can visit to learn about a unique geo-science feature or aspect of our Earth

• EarthCache sites do not use stored containers; their treasure is the lessons people learn about our planet when they visit the site.


Geocaching web sites


• geoscouting.com

• created as a resource to the Scouting community

• focuses on Scout-related use and discussion of

ways to use geocaching for the Scout community




• geocaching.com

• comprehensive web site listing locations, hints

and maps for caches hidden




• Advancement

• Recruiting and Retention

• Public Relations


How can I use Geocaching with my Den/Pack?


• There are many ways to use geocaching to help

your den advance

• The “lesson” does not have to be rote or boring!

• Setting up a good geocaching game is also a way

to get the older scouts to help the younger

scouts advance, but in a way that captures their

interest and involvement to a greater degree


Geocaching for Advancement


• How do you get boys to join your Pack?

• Packs need to do exciting activities, both on outings

and at Pack meetings, to keep the current members

coming back for more.

• Geocaching offers a new twist on the solution, with

high tech “Fun with a Purpose” at play.

• Plan a geocaching event at a public park or a school

and advertise it as an Open House for your unit.


Geocaching for Recruiting and Retention


• Public Relations means “a promotion intended

to create goodwill for a person or institution “

• We want people to think as highly about the

Cub Scout organization as we do

• The following geocaching activities are designed

to remind the public what good citizens we are,

and how much good we do for the community


Geocaching for Public Relations


• The Cache In Trash Out program (CITO)

• We collect litter along the trails and properly dispose of it

• The CITO program is a wonderful way to merge Scouting values, Leave No Trace, and Geocaching




• A travel bug is a small item with a registered

dog tag that travels around the world

• Travel Bugs have a “mission” – for example a

travel bug Scout Toy may have the mission to

visit as many councils as possible




• The Cache to Eagle program

• The Cache to Eagle program consists of public

caches that are posted on the geocaching.com

website

• These are public caches that have been set up at

the sites of Eagle projects




• Have your boys ever complained that Pack

meetings are boring?

• A good Pack uses every tool it can to keep

meetings – and outings fresh and entertaining.

• Coupling classic scouting skills with technology

is one way to do just that.


Geocaching Game Examples


• All team members should “STAY TOGETHER”

• Do not RUN – WALK (no need to get injured)

• Do not step on things you shouldn’t (gardens, private property, etc)

• Attempt to involve everyone on the team. Everyone should have a job

• Clean up after you finish

• HAVE FUN!


Geocaching Games - All games should contain

these rules:


• The Get to Know Me Game – a basic “get to know

you - introductions” icebreaker game.

• Join My Pack! - a recruiting game to showcase the

activities on your Pack calendar

• Path to Arrow of Light – uses tokens representing

rank advancement

• The Bobcat (or other rank focus) Game – designed

around the requirements for a specific rank


Geocaching Game Examples


• The Activity Pin Game – use tokens representing

activity pin icons; can be tailored to show the

activity pins needed for each advancement theme

• The “Special Recognition” game – highlights the

path to earning special awards such as

Conservation patch or LNT award.

• Interfaith Game – showcases the religious awards

program.


Geocaching Game Examples (continued)


• Geocaching can be used for Recruiting,

Retention and Membership purposes

• Geocaching can be used to improve Public

Relations in the community

• Geocaching can be used to create Advancement

opportunities for the boys


Summary



Questions and Answers



Thank You



References:

Geocaching for the Cub Scout Program- Mary E. Stevens PhD

geocaching.com

geoscouting.com

garmin.com

Cub Scout Geocaching - pack204millerplace.org does a GPS work? Cub Scout Geocaching • GPS was originally intended for military applications, but in the 1980s, the government ...

Documents