Geocaching with Doaktown Consolidated High School
Photo: David Fraser, 2010-May-12
(Continued from here.)
The following figure shows the location of some of the waypoints (i.e. stakes) in Google Earth.
Around 40 stakes were placed in flower beds, near lamp posts, benches, edges of parking lots, etc. The stakes were 16 inches long and, in general, stakes were driven into the ground such that only about 2 inches of the stakes were visible. A letter was written on the top of each stake.
Table 1 lists the names of the groups (some of the groups were named after Kentucky Derby race horses) and points that the groups had to locate. For each waypoint, the students had to note the letter on the stake and identify the location of the stake on a UNB campus map (http://www.unb.ca/welcome/maps/unb_fredericton.pdf). To navigate to the stakes, the groups used a GPS hand-held receiver (Garmin GPSMAP 76CSx), which includes an electronic compass (a GPS receiver has difficulty determining the direction of travel if it is moving slowly; an electronic compass can provide directional information in such circumstances; for more information see Navigation 101 and Getting Your Bearings).
| Group | Waypoints |
|---|---|
| Big Truck | FRED, PIG, PUTT, PIN, ZOO BOY, JELLO, SIS, ELF |
| Smooth Air | 007, SIS, SMURF, DAD, KRIS, GIRL, RES, FRED, PIG |
| Scatt Daddy | WORM, JIG, RES, TIN, ZOO, WOW, DAD, JELLO, C9Y |
| Papa Smurf | ZOO, 123, PIG, M01, SIS, RES, SMURF, LAD, OAT |
| Iamawildandcrazyguy | CAT, PUTT, RES, TIN, BOY, LAD, WOW, 007, SIS |
| Cowtown Cat | TIM, M01, FRED, GOOD, CAT, SMURF, LAD, DAD, ZOO |
| Off the Trail | CAB, CAR, MOB, JIG, LIP, PIN, ZOO, TOM, WOW |
The following figure shows Big Truck's waypoints and the route that the group followed in Google Earth.
The students finished their visit with juice and cookies and short presentations on the Department and Geodesy and Geomatics Fun Facts. The size and shape of the earth was described to the students and students were asked to identify which of the following most closely represents the shape of the earth:
 Cube |  Oblate Spheroid |
 Sphere |  Pretzel |
Do you know? (see “Figure of the Earth” for the answer)
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| Doaktown Consolidated High School students. |