Lisa BuckWest Blocton High School West Blocton, Alabama

33o 06’ 48’’ N

87o 07’ 44’’ W

© Lisa Buck 2007

Beginners' Guide to Possibilities of GPS Use in the Classroom

What is a GPS What is a GPS How Do You Use It How Do You Use It

And AndWhat Do You What Do You Do With It?Do With It?

A GPS is a …A GPS is a …

Electronic instrument to determine a location based on information it receives from satellites

Stands for “Global Positioning System”

Is the electronic replacement for compasses in determining location

Is the electronic replacement for astronomy in determining location

Various Types of GPSsVarious Types of GPSs

The Recreational GPSThe Recreational GPS When powered on will take several minutes

to “lock onto” satellites. These satellites are 11,000 miles in orbit

Used to find Longitude and Latitude

To map dataTo make mapsTo find the carTo find a prize

But for a variety of reasons

Vocabulary (Word Splash)Vocabulary (Word Splash)

Waypoint Tracks Route Trip Computer

Longitude and LatitudeLongitude and Latitude

http://www.hammondmap.com/sites/hammond/geography/latlong1.html

What To Do In Math???What To Do In Math??? Find distances with or without Excel Find areas Do conversions to switch back and forth between the 3 formats

http://www.math.uncc.edu/~droyster/talks/NCTM_2003/NCTM_Handout.pdf

http://www.math.uncc.edu/~droyster/http://www.ppi-far.org/ppiweb/ppibase.nsf/$webindex/article=2188CA5885256965005ECE28994F9E43

What To Do History???What To Do History???

Discuss Columbus’ use of the Tradewinds Research instruments used for locating positions before GPS Trace the route of the Pony Express Trace Lewis and Clark’s exploration

http://www.lewis-clark.org/http://www.americanwest.com/trails/pages/ponyexp1.htm

Trade WindsTrade Winds

http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/eurvoya/index.swf

5400 miles, in 36 days, in 1492

What To Do GeographyWhat To Do Geography

Graph countries on an X,Y coordinate Calculate distances between countries, cities, etc. Map cell phone coverage in a small town.

0, 00, 0

http://support.esri.com/index.cfm?fa=knowledgebase.techarticles.articleShow&d=27589&print=true

Figuring the Lines of Figuring the Lines of LongitudeLongitude

http://worldatlas.com/aatlas/imageg.htm

Longitude & Latitude Longitude & Latitude of the U.S.of the U.S.

http://rockyweb.cr.usgs.gov/outreach/gps/UTM_Zones_USA48.jpg

What To Do LocallyWhat To Do Locally

Map town amenities Create town tours Do puzzle Geocaches to bring about

awareness of surroundings

Town of West Blocton MapTown of West Blocton Map

The Cahaba River

Bike Tour/Geocach of Bike Tour/Geocach of “The Fences of West Blocton”“The Fences of West Blocton”

Now That You’re Now That You’re Worldly, You Need Worldly, You Need

To Run The NumbersTo Run The Numbers

Reading A GPSReading A GPS3 Formats3 Formats

hemisphere degrees, minutes, seconds hemisphere degrees, minutes hemisphere degrees

hemisphere degrees, minutes, secondshemisphere degrees, minutes, seconds 3333o 07’ 03”N 87 07’ 03”N 87o 07’ 02” W 07’ 02” Whemisphere degrees, minuteshemisphere degrees, minutes 3333o 07’ 043”N 87 07’ 043”N 87o 07’ 02”W 07’ 02”Whemisphere degreeshemisphere degrees33 11.73533 11.735oN 87 11.718N 87 11.718oWW

ConversionsConversions

1035.75 miles between latitude lines

69.05 miles between 1 degree of latitude

1.15 miles between minutes

.019 miles between seconds; which equals100 feet and 3.5 inches.

However it’s a However it’s a Sliding ScaleSliding Scale

At 38 degrees North latitude one degree of latitude equals

approximately 364,000 ft (69 miles), one minute equals 6068 ft (1.15 miles), one-second equals 101 ft.

one-degree of longitude equals 288,200 ft (54.6 miles), one minute equals 4800 ft (0.91 mile), and one second equals 80 ft.

I Need You To Cosign I Need You To Cosign CosineCosine

Open the calculator in Windows (Start Programs Accessories Calculator)

Click on View & Scientific Choose Decimal and Degrees Type in known latitude in the following

formatdegrees. degrees (33.11735 as 11735 as

opposed opposed to 33 11.735) to 33 11.735) Click the Cosine Key (cos) Multiply answer by 69 The answer is the miles between

longitudes at that latitude

Let’s Get…Let’s Get…

http://www.healingway.org.uk/reflexology-hands.html

Navigation Button

Mark

Waypoint

Your AssignmentYour Assignment

Get in groups of 2 Find a Geocache Mark a waypoint Trade units with another team to

find that waypoint Give me back my GPSs

Lisa BuckLisa BuckWest Blocton High SchoolWest Blocton High School

4734 Truman Aldrich Parkway4734 Truman Aldrich ParkwayWest Blocton, AL 35184West Blocton, AL 35184

(205) 938-9002(205) 938-9002BuckL@bibbed.orgBuckL@bibbed.org