Geography Hunt
Supplies, instructions, resources, and worksheets are below!
Project Description
The Global Positioning System (GPS), is a satellite navigation system that provides geolocation and time information to a GPS receiver. Every location on earth has a geographic coordinate where latitude and longitude lines meet. In this STEM project, you’ll go on a world wide hunt for what’s located at specific geographic coordinates and chart them on a world map.
Activity Time
1 Day
Supplies Recommended
World Map Worksheet
Google Maps
Alternative GPS Online Look Up
Google Map Instructions
A Globe (optional)
A printed world map (optional)
Learning Objectives
Understand the GPS coordinate system
Understand how to find geographic locations using latitude and longitude
Learn about geography and maps
Vocabulary Terms to Understand
Look up each word and write the definition on Lined Paper.
geographic coordinates
latitude
longitude
degrees
distance
equator
northern hemisphere
southern hemisphere
decimal notation
absolute location
meridian lines
prime meridian
poles
GPS coordinates
Instructional Videos
Instructions
1. Print the World Map Worksheet.
2. Watch the instructional videos above to learn about latitude and longitude.
3. Read through the resources below to learn about the GPS Coordinate system and how to use latitude and longitude.
4. Look up each of the coordinates below and mark its location with an “X” on your World Map Worksheet and label what you find such as, Niagara Falls. We recommend using Google Maps to enter the coordinates below, but you can also use a globe or printed world map.
Questions
What are the geographic coordinates for where you live?
What is the Equator and where is it located?
What is the Prime Meridian and where is it located?
Resources
Latitude and Longitude Definitions
Latitude And Longitude Facts
The Global Positioning System
NASA: How Does GPS Work?
Latitude and Longitude U.S. States Game
What is the Equator?
Equator
The Prime Meridian
Hemispheres of Earth