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Geocaching field trip teaches about state

Fourth-graders from East Farms Elementary fan out in a field near Stateline looking for their geocache owl named Wisdom. Donna Simon’s social studies class is studying the state of Washington and learning about the cities, towns and geography. The students are using geocaching as a method to learn about the state. (Photos by J. BART RAYNIAK / The Spokesman-Review)
Fourth-graders from East Farms Elementary fan out in a field near Stateline looking for their geocache owl named Wisdom. Donna Simon’s social studies class is studying the state of Washington and learning about the cities, towns and geography. The students are using geocaching as a method to learn about the state. (Photos by J. BART RAYNIAK / The Spokesman-Review)
Treva Lind

Teacher Donna Simon’s fourth-graders went treasure hunting on Wednesday, learning about math, distances and maps.

Her East Farms Elementary School class does geocaching, a worldwide treasure hunt using GPS technology. Simon had stashed a cache in the form of an owl statue near Stateline and the Centennial Trail. The kids had previously supplied little treasures for the container, and on Wednesday, they hiked from the school to the site to find the container and see what items were taken or added by other geocaching enthusiasts.

Members go to www.geocaching, sign a log when they find a cache and take as well as contribute items along the way. Simon’s group had also left a “travel bug,” a geocaching way to track an item with a tag and ID number. Members who take the travel pieces record their whereabouts based on the ID number online. Students’ first travel bug – a smaller stuffed owl – has already made its first trip.

“We’re studying Washington state now and we can track its travel around the state,” Simon said.

“It’s helping us learn about our state, math, finding coordinates and calculating distances,” Simon said. “Our first travel bug is a stuffed owl named Wisdom that is now in Ruby Ferry (about 60 miles north).”

The students on their trip Wednesday did not know where Simon had put their cache. When she and parents led the students onto the Centennial Trail, Simon gave instructions and handed the GPS over the students.

“We’re about 200 feet away,” she said as the group walked forward. “My GPS says we’re 130 feet away. You take it and tell us which way to go.”

When they reached the spot, students excitedly surrounded Simon as she inspected the contents.

“Let’s see how many things we put in are taken out and how many new things there are,” she said.

She showed them a log with names. Some original pieces remained – a bracelet, earrings, calculator, a toy car. Digging deeper, Simon made discoveries.

“This yellow car is new. This soccer key chain is new.”

With that, Simon added a new travel bug – a toy monster truck with a tag.

Student Jazmin Koons said the hunt helps make learning fun.

“You have to figure out the coordinates,” Koons said. “Wisdom is our first travel bug, and we’re learning about where it goes. We have a map of the United States and what we want is for it to go to every city in Washington state.”

‘Dig for the Cure’ Tuesday at CVHS

Tuesday, Central Valley High School students will try to paint their gym pink, in a sense, for the CV vs. University volleyball game. Spectators for the 7 p.m. match at CVHS are being asked to wear pink in support of breast cancer patients.

As part of a service project for the student marketing group DECA, organizers are selling pink T-shirts and promoting “Dig for the Cure” to benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Caleb Morgan, Sara Hemenway and Kelsey Gruis are the student leaders who also secured sponsorships from Dew Drop Sprinklers, Jennifer’s Auto Sales, Hemenway Roofing and Wiser Xpress.

CV’s DECA adviser Robin Barnhart said the students created the T-shirts that they will sell at the door for $10. Additionally, people can sponsor “per dig” that the CV volleyball team has during the match.

Parents sought for math committee

The Central Valley School District is seeking applications from parents interested in serving on the district’s new K-12 Mathematics Adoption Committee. One parent will be selected from each of the five “director districts” by a team of two school board members. The application deadline is Thursday.

The K-12 Mathematics Adoption Committee will review the new state mathematics standards, examine proposed math curriculum and research best instruction practices. The panel also will consider community input and report to the CVSD board with recommendations for updated mathematics curriculum for elementary, middle and high school students.

The new committee will meet twice monthly, beginning mid-October. The 47-member committee also includes teachers, administrators, higher education representatives and the business community.

Broadening the opportunity for public involvement, the committee will hold a series of “All About Math” public forums for interested stakeholders to learn about math curriculum and provide input on the committee’s work to date. The forum dates will be posted online on the “Mathematics Curriculum Update” page.

The K-12 Mathematics Adoption Committee application form is available online at www.cvsd.org on the “Mathematics Curriculum Update” page. The application is also available by calling 228-5421 or visiting the district office at 19307 E. Cataldo Ave. Parents selected to join the committee will be notified on Friday.