Reflection:

I really liked this week’s activities.  I think the biggest thing I have learned over this past week is that it is important to review with my students. If I made the tree map and nothing else, I probably would have forgotten how to use this program.   But since we were able to use the program one day and then used it again in context the next day, it gave me the opportunity to review the program and move the concept into my more long term memory.  It also gave the opportunity to dig deeper into the program and get more advanced with the program the next day. The same concept applies to my students.  If I only teach a concept once, they are likely to forget it, but if I am able to spiral review the topics, it will help help them remember the concepts for a longer period of time. 

I have also learned that uen.org/cmap is a great website to use for information on GIS/GPS.  It has many website resources that I can use to help me come up with ideas for teaching. 

I thought it was interesting how even though we were all given the same project with very similar information for the watershed project, all of our maps looked so differently. 

This was my favorite class we have had so far!

Buying Maps
Must be a garmin map.
buy.garmin.com
This website has maps that you can buy. It is better to buy maps with 100k.  It is also better to buy maps in download or dvd format because it will work on more than one device.

Today's activity was one like I have never done before.  It was a great activity to tie everything that we have done in this class together. I really liked how we were taught how to formulate the data, put it into ArcGIS, and add pictures to the site yesterday with the tree activity.  Then, today we got to take it a step further by collecting more in depth data.  This allowed us to practice what we learned. 

I loved the hands-on field trip that we went on today.  It was fun, exciting, and one that I think students would thoroughly enjoy.  I think it would be better for high school students, but I could see 5th or 6th graders doing an activity like this if we had 1 parent volunteer for each group of 3-4 students.  I think it would be fun to use this as a field trip for my 6th grade students next year.  I think it would tie in with the scientific method, microbiology, mapping skills, etc.  I think it would be fun for them to bring back water/bug samples from different areas and they could continue to do different experiments back in the classroom.  I think I would add a math portion into this by having them figure out distances vs. temperatures and stuff like that. 

I thought it was interesting how even though we were not assigned individual roles as a group, we all kind of split the jobs and completed the same job at each location we visited.  I thought our team worked great together.  I also thought it was interesting how when we got back to the classroom, we all continued to work as a group to continue working throughout the day.   

I learned so much about the water shed, bugs, etc. today.  I don't think I have ever looked at bugs so closely before, nor have I ever tried to catch them before.  Although I have checked the pH levels and temperature of water before, I have never checked  Dissolved Oxygen, Turbidity, or Nitrate.  So, all in all, I think this was a great experience, and it definitely beat being in the classroom all day.

I am unaware of any questions I have today...But, I am sure I will think of some as I am working on my projects.

Tree Mapping Activity
Things I learned and found interesting...
To start the morning off, we did an activity where we mapped the location of all of the trees.  I thought this activity was very interesting. Not only because we could use the GPS (which was so cool), but because we were able to input other information that we tracked.  With the extra information (height, circumference, type, etc.), we were able to put it in Excel and then move it into the ArcGIS website.  I really liked learning how to input all of this information into the programs so we could create different layers on the same map.  Another thing I learned how to do today is how to link my pictures from dropbox onto my map on ArcGIS.  I think this is pretty interesting because I had never used ArcGIS or BaseCamp before yesterday, and now I feel like I am really starting to understand it. 

Questions that I still have...
How can I adapt the water project to a 6th grade curriculum?

USU-Stream Mapping-Water Sheds

Water Cycle projects for 4th grade
Recreation Water
Biological Monitoring
Pollutants
Microorganisms- looking for bugs in the water from different locations
Chemical Monitoring (what is in the water that you can't see)

Types of polution:
Point Source (comes from a pipe) Easy to control and keep track where the pollution comes from.
Nonpoint Source (comes from run off from roads, etc.) Not easy to control

Bugs of the Underworld-  Really cool bug video about mayflies

Today’s class was a little overwhelming for me.  At certain points I was completely lost, and at other times, I felt ahead of the game.  I really liked learning how to save a cache to Basecamp.  I think it would be fun to insert the caches into base camp as you find them and keep track of how many you have found. 

I could see how it would be very beneficial to use GIS with students.  Students have trouble with spatial awareness, and having them create a service project around GPS could be a great way to teach them about service and spatial awareness at the same time.

I am still a little unsure how to explain GIS to students and how I would integrate projects into my curriculum, but I will continue to work on that.  I would also like to learn more about the endorsement that Cindy Clark was talking about.  I think I might like to teach GIS in a Middle School or High School environment.


Cindy Clark
[email protected]
801-537-9201
Call or Email about more info about the GIS endorsement


Place Based- Go to location in order to learn about the specific event or location (Go to Yellowstone to learn about the geology or geography).

Project Based-Not tied to specific location.  There is an ultimate goal to figure out or solve.  Many people work together for one common goal.

Community Based-Solving a problem for the community.

I love using GPS devices in my classroom.  I have only used them for one activity per year so far, but I think I will try using them for more next year. 

Here are some new things I have learned: 
1.  On the device, If you hold down the Stick for three seconds, it will take you to mark a waypoint.
2.  On the device, If you hold down the menu button for three seconds, it will take you to the find menu.

Here are some things I found interesting:
1.  I really liked the idea of having students create the pathway for a 5k run fundraiser.  This could be a great activity for the students in my 6th grade class.  Our school does a jog-a-thon, and I could see how it could be beneficial for the students to trace the path ahead of time, and put it on a map so everybody can see where they are going.
2.  I thought it was interesting how many different free mapping systems there are out there.  I have used Google Earth and have really loved it, but I like some of the other ones that were shown to me like world mapper, etc.

Here are some questions I still have:
1.  I am still unsure how to put a track that I have created into the program.
2.  Are there any other good websites out there that can help me figure out how to incorporate GPS activities into my classroom?

NOTES:
GPS Garmin Features

• Stick- press to select, navigate up, down, left, right
• Bottom Left- Menu
• Top and Middle Left- Zoom in Zoom Out on map page
• Top Right-Switch Screens
• Bottom Right-On/Off Light

Usually 8-15 feet accurate
Hold down joystick for 3 seconds-Mark
    name point then pick avg to measure the point for more accuracy
Hold bottom left for 3 seconds-Find

GPS-How it works...
Needs 4 or more satellites to determine an accurate position
 GPS uses trilateral= 3 satellites + Earth location

GPS Videos
uen.org/Cmap
    go to objective and schedule
        Click on GPS Videos

Classroom Supplies (available from the district)
7 sets of 15 GPS are available for check out through edtech
large topo maps are also available to help teach students about mapping skills

GIS/GPS Website Tools:
worldmapper
nationalatlas.gov

Reflection:
It is important for students to understand maps and mapping skills because it can help them better understand the land and world around them.  If we can get them to understand these skills now, it can help them make predictions about the future.  This can help them help create solutions to problems of today such as: drought, hunger, illness, etc.

Connect GPS to Computer:
Turn on GPS
Plug in to computer
Open Basecamp