An Environmental
GPS Adventure
Developed by Tracy Trimpe and Cheryl McDaniel
for the Havana Junior High School Science Club
Spring 2009
http://sciencespot.net/
Earth Quest
• Earth Quest will test your team’s navigation and problem-solving
skills as you learn about issues that are facing our environment.
• Each team will have the chance to complete 8 quests. Each quest
involves a series of three waypoints with the last one being a
challenge game.
• Your team will use a GPS receiver to find the microcaches that
are hidden around the schoolyard. Each one has inside about an
environmental issue. Your team will need to use the fact to
answer a question, which will help you find the next waypoint on
your quest.
• After completing 2 microcaches, your team will determine the
final waypoint with the challenge you need to complete. Once
you finish the challenge, you will receive your next Quest Card!
What is GPS?
• GPS stands for Global Positioning System.
• It uses 24 satellites positioned around the
globe. The satellites are 12,000 miles from
Earth’s surface.
• We use GPS receivers to connect with the satellites to learn
our position on Earth’s surface, which are based on latitude
and longitude.
Havana Junior High
Latitude = 40.296917 N
Longitude = 90.050007 W
Images: http://geomag.usgs.gov/images/gps_001.jpg and http://www.portcities.org.uk/london/upload/img_400/longitude_latitude.gif
How accurate is a GPS receiver?
With today’s GPS receivers we can get
as close as 3 meters or 9 feet.
To determine our
position, the receiver
measures the time it
takes to receive a
signal from a satellite
and converts it to a
distance.
Satellite 2
Satellite 1
Satellite 3
We need a total of 3 satellites to
get an accurate reading.
What is geocaching?
Geocaching - An outdoor treasure-hunting game in which the participants use a GPS
receiver to hide and seek containers called "geocaches“ (Wikipedia, 2009)
Cache - A typical cache is a small waterproof container (usually a tupperware or
ammo box) containing a logbook and "treasure," usually toys or trinkets of little value.
Microcache – A small container (film canister) containing only a logbook.
Waypoints – Locations where a cache is hidden; identified
by latitude and longitude.
Travel Bugs & Geocoins – Items that geocachers place in
caches and track their locations as other geocaches move
them to another cache.
Muggles – Refers to people who do not geocache
Geocaching.com – Website devoted to geocaching and
provides information on all the caches around the world.
Cafepress.com Shirt
As of April 2009, there were 777,062 geocaches around the world!
Earth Quest Rules
 Safety first! Microcaches have been placed in areas that should be easy to access. Keep
your eyes open for trees, puddles, uneven ground, vehicles, and other hazards.
 Play fair! Teams are not allowed to sabotage other teams by moving caches, stealing clues,
etc. Good sportsman ship is required!
ALL MICROCACHES & CLUES MUST BE PUT BACK IN THE EXACT SPOT IN WHICH
THEY WERE FOUND!
 Teams are not allowed to ask volunteers or other teams for help or hints. If you are
“lost” or need help with a question, see the event coordinator.
 When you are done with all 8 quests, team envelopes (with all the Quest Cards
and your team worksheet) must be turned in to the event coordinator in order for
the clock to “stop”.
A 15-minute penalty will be added for each quest your team does not complete
and/or each card that is not turned in will be added to your final time.
A 5 minute penalty will be added for Quest Cards that are not completely filled in.
Earth Quest Tips

Check the lids on the microcaches to make sure you have the right one! The waypoint #
is written on the top of the lid and the cache # is on the underside.
Examples:
If you are looking for waypoint #18, it will be listed as 018 on the receiver and will have
018 written on the top of the lid.
If you are looking for the clue for #1-3, this should be written on the underside of the lid
and on the slip inside.

Use your calculator to help you find the answers to each problem. If you find a
microcache, but it is not the correct clue you are probably in the wrong spot! Recheck
your answer and try again!

If a problem says to “add the digits in the number”, you need to find the sum of all the
individual numbers in it. For example, to find the sum of the digits in the year “1940”,
add 1 + 9 + 4 + 0 for a total of 14.

Keep the GPS unit flat in your hand to make sure you are getting good reception from
the satellites and keep moving in order for the unit to “know” where you are located!

Remember that the GPS will get you close – within 9 feet – you will have to search the
area to find the microcache. Try walking away from the area and back towards it to
make sure you are in the right spot.
It’s time to pick teams …
What does your team need to do?
• Grab a clipboard and your team envelope. Make sure you have a
working calculator, a pencil, and a GPS unit.
• Get out the Quest Card and determine your first waypoint.
•Your team must use the information provided to find each of the
caches, solve the problems, and then head to the challenge!
• Once you have completed the challenge, you will receive
another Quest Card to start your team on another route. You will
NOT visit the same microcache twice!
• Write whatever information you need on your worksheet and
then put the microcaches back EXACTLY where you found them!
Do not take the film canisters or clues with you!
It’s time for Earth Quest!
Grab your materials!
Grab a GPS unit!
Meet at the flag pole and
wait for final instructions!