Table of Contents

Cover Page

Cache Across Utah

What the Heck is an Earthcache?

Geocaching in the 6th Grade

Magnet Safety

Regular Features

Chuckles

Credits

This all started for me when I received an email from SuperBee asking if I'd be willing and able to help him with a GPS lesson for his 6th grade class on September 15th. I didn't have a lot of work to do that afternoon so I said I'd be glad to help him, even though I had no idea who he was -- other than the fact that he was a geocacher in need of my help.

After I let him know I was indeed willing and able to help, he sent a couple other emails outlining where I was to go and when. He also briefed me on what the kids would be expecting. Sounded like fun to me.

I arrived a few minutes early and checked in at the school's office, got my requisite visitor's badge and walked down the hall to the multi-purpose room. It was still dark and deserted. I was a few minutes early so I just waited in the hall wondering who else was going to be there. Pretty soon, LeanAndGreen came down the hall and we chatted for a few minutes getting to know each other. A few minutes later others arrived and we were soon ushered into the multi-purpose room by SuperBee himself.

Personally, I knew only of few of the 14 or 15 cachers that showed up that day. Most of them were new to me and so I don't remember all their names. I remember -- or have been reminded -- that those who were there included myself, Minerals44 and his wife, GotWings, LeanAndGreen, Lone F. Wolf, ClayBoy, BIGMAC9, Grateful Geocachers, GoCache, Reed Mapper, Suzer and Going Gopher. My sincere apologies if you were there and your name was not listed here.

We formed a circle around SuperBee and he introduced himself and thanked us all for coming. He then outlined again what had led up the this activity, what was expected of us, and what the kids had been told to expect. There would be students from about three different classes totally approximately 75 students.

Pretty soon the kids came into the room and were seated on the floor in front of the stage. We each then were given an opportunity to introduce ourselves and tell a little bit about who we are and how much geocaching we've done. It was really interesting to hear how many cache finds some of these people have.

We were then given a group number and the kids were divided up among us so that each of us had about 5 students in our group. We took a couple minutes to answer questions and then we received the coordinates for our first objective which was to be found somewhere on the school grounds. Each group then left to find their first objective.

This whole activity combined a GPS lesson with another motivational lesson. At the first waypoint the students were asked to write down a list of things they "can't do". They were not told why. The second waypoint brought everyone back together in the building. There, the students were asked to place their list of things they "can't do" into a small black box. SuperBee had arranged for a minister to come and perform an actual eulogy for Mr. "I Can't". The students were to remember Mr. "I Can't" by always remembering his three relatives instead. They are named, "I Can", "I Will", and "I'm Going To".

After the eulogy for Mr. "I Can't", we received the coordinates for another waypoint hidden on the school grounds. We loaded the coordinates into our GPS and set out to find an Altoid tin which proved to contain a laminated card for each student. The message on the card reinforced the message of letting Mr. "I Can't" die and remembering his live relatives. The tin also contained the coordinates to a final waypoint where we all received a treat of punch and cookies before the final bell rang and they had to go home.

All in all, it was a lot of fun teaching the students a little bit about the use of a GPS.

Thanks, SuperBee, for allowing us to participate in this fun and interesting lesson.