Global Positioning Systems are really good items to have around when working with maps, or trying to find an absolute location in an area using longitude and latitude. That’s why Tripp Middle School’s Bengal Team social studies teacher, Renee Davis, wanted to teach her seventh grade students how to use GPS units. TMS borrowed 19 individual GPS units from the Center for Community GIS (which stands for Geographic Information Systems)

Using the GPS units helped the students learn about latitude and longitude and how to use a compass rose. We learned about latitude, longitude, and mapping to find exact (or absolute) location and relative location.

Mrs. Davis took us outside with the GPS units and taught an awesome lesson on how to use the units and map. We took tennis balls and had our partner hide them and mark the point (also called a way point) and bring the unit back to the partner. The partner who had the ball then went with the other partner to see if they could find the ball, using the GPS compass. When you were within 15-20 feet away from the ball or item you were finding, the GPS screen would say, “arriving at destination.” I really appreciated the Center of Community GIS lending the GPS units to us so we could have the chance to use them to help us learn.