My students need 1 – 2 Global Positioning Devices, 3-4 Geocaching Containers, 3-4 GeoCoins or specific ‘treasure’ so I’ll be able to tell which students found the information and Time and energy to create the hunt!
My students are from a rural, tight knit community where logging, mining and farming have long been a way of life. I teach social studies courses at the high school level. However, we are in a state of flux- recent devastating floods to our area have uprooted farms and the boom and bust economy has had devastating effects on mining and logging in our area. My students are looking for opportunities and looking to be inspired. They are curious, they wonder and are interesting people. I look forward to creating a project that gets them in tune with their environment, has them explore how geography and industry have impacted their community and finally- how history happens all around them!
Recently, my school district has encouraged us to remove stand alone geography classes from our curriculum and instead more purposely and creatively infuse geography into our content area courses. As part of a grant emphasis on placed based education and my district’s eagerness to incorporate geography into the curriculum, I’d like to create a history related geo-caching treasure hunt in our local area. This will help familiarize students with their local geography, get them outside to grow in their appreciation of nature and also help guide them to historical sites in their own backyard! In addition, this may help students to grow in their awareness of the impact of global climate change on our local environment. I am excited about the prospects of this project, but need a little help with funding.
My idea springs from a Teaching American History grant that I am part of through our local Educational Service District. Twenty teachers from our region have spent the last three years learning historical content, traveling our state and making connections with organizations active in our community, and with each other. We are heavily focused upon local-based education.
With that in mind, I’d like to create a geo-caching treasure hunt. With the help of GPS devices, students would learn about the geography and history around them by downloading satellite coordinates into GPS devices. Next, they will go out in teams and hunt for ‘historical treasure’ in their own communities. I hope to create an multi-disciplinary treasure hunt, using history, science, geography and math. I hope that in addition to getting kids connected with their ‘place’ geographically and historically this will also help them feel connected to the environment and their community.
Your support of students will allow them to experience first hand an exploration of the outdoors and local geography, perhaps develop a deeper appreciation for the environment and nature and finally introduce students to a healthy outdoors activity. If students enjoyed this experience, there are thousands of geo-caching treasures to explore that are not connected to this class. Your support also assures students developing a better understanding of history in their own community. Too often, students feel history is outside of their experience instead of part of their own family’s story. Your support could help change that! I’m excited! This will further encourage curiosity and exploration and the development of a healthy mind! Please support my students!
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. R. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.