Clearview Elementary School has added yet another unique item to its curriculum. With the addition of 18 new GPS’ (global positioning system) its students now have the opportunity to go on actual treasure hunts by geocaching.

 

Geocaching is an outdoor treasure hunt using GPS devices. Participants navigate to a specific set up of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache (container) hidden at that particular location. 

 

Fifth grade teacher Andrea Coulter wrote a LEAF (Local Education & Activities Foundation) grant and was awarded $1,900 to set up the program and purchase 18 basic GPS systems for the students to use.

 

Last month kindergarten teacher Gary Gohmann took a group of 16 Cougar Club students out into the Clearview Forest and taught them how to set waypoints for five geocaches, which they then named. A waypoint is a reference point for a physical location defined by a set of coordinates that usually include latitude and longitude. 

 

“We set waypoints for the geocaches throughout the forest,” said Gohmann. “Some are easier like on the edge of the prairie and some are deeper in.”

 

Two of the students made the geocache containers that were then placed at the waypoints. The containers were filled with simple objects like pencils and pens; some include a log sheet for students to write their name on when they find the geocache.

 

“Geocaching gets the kids to use mathematics and social studies,” said Gohmann. “They also use critical thinking skills because the geocaches aren’t in plain sight.”

 

The geocaches will be left in place so they’re available for Clearview teachers to use once school starts up again in the fall.

 

“A lot of the kids had geocached before but had never set one up,” said Coulter. “They absolutely love it!”