The document outlines an 8th grade course on GPS principles and applications that meets for 30 hours over 5 weeks. It includes the following key elements:
- Students will learn GPS terminology, basic principles, flaws, and potential solutions through hands-on labs, worksheets, and multiple choice/essay exams.
- The 5 week course is divided into weekly workshops covering availability, handoffs, signal strength, and a final review. Each workshop includes experiments, lab reports, and exams.
- Sample lessons include using a flashlight in a box to model signal distribution, hula hoops to demonstrate moving between network areas, and a trampoline to represent a signal booster. Students must explain how the experiments
2. Course Objectives Understand basic GPS principles Learn Terminology relating to networking and GPS Recognize flaws in GPS Understand how to implement possible solutions Grade of students: 8thgrade students Course is designed for computer/technologically interested individuals Frequency of classes 5 weeks – 2x per week – 3 hour sessions = 30 Hours Required resources Laptop and a wireless router with internet connection Course Information
3. Overview Teach young students how GPS affects our daily lives Build a foundation about how GPS works and how we use it Experiment with possible solutions to current problems Teaching Terminology learning through handouts/crossword puzzles Experimental lessons (hands on) through Lab procedures Assessment Exam after each learning session (3) [20% per exam] One multiple choice fill in the blank exam Essay exams following the lab procedures Final cumulative exam [40% of final grade] Covers everything learned Course Description
4. Session Outline Week 1: Terminology Understanding Class 1: Teach and explain all terminology related to wireless networking, GPS, data/signal transmission Class 2: Test covering terminology that was reviewed from the class before Week 2: Availability Workshop Class 3: Review availability problems and discuss possible solutions. Do lab procedure explaining general theory behind transferring signal and emitting it through a wireless router in an enclosed area Class 4: Essay test covering how the flashlight theory works and what how does the flashlight lab relate to the real life use of signal distribution Week 3: Handoff Workshop Class 5: Do experiments with hoola hoops/sectioned areas and have students go from one area to another in the classroom. Organize students in groups where they can relate entering and leaving networks “areas” Class 6: Essay test covering how the hoola hoop theory works and how it parallels with common networking areas allowing a receiver to enter/exit cells Week 4: Signal Strength Workshop Class 6: Review how a repeater could boost signal strength. Do a lab procedure with students jumping and then jumping on a trampoline. Make sure students can make the tie of how the trampoline provides a spike in energy and how the repeater would boost a signal. Class 7: Essay test covering how the trampoline theory idea can apply to a wireless signal. Students should be able to explain how the lab parallels with a repeater acts on a signal over a long distance. Week 5: Overview Class 8: Review experiments, lab reports, and terminology learned throughout the first 4 weeks. This class will serve as a Q and A class to clear up any topics that are unsure with my students Class 9: Final class with a cumulative exam going over everything learned in the labs. This will allow me to see overall what areas students excelled in and which workshops students had a hard time in.
5. Sample Lesson Plan Week 2: Availability Workshop Student Lab Lab Report What does each item in the experiment represent? The CD? The Flashlight? The hole in the box? Was your lab a success? What complications might there be within the experiment? Sample Lab props