Finding Their Way: Fifth Graders Explore Orienteering and Geocaching

Before winter break, our 5th grade gifted students and Ms. Beltram’s afternoon class completed an exciting, hands-on learning project focused on orienteering, made possible through a generous Kiwanis grant. This real-world experience blended geography, problem-solving, teamwork, and outdoor exploration, giving students meaningful skills they can use beyond the classroom.

Students began by learning about orienteering, a navigation skill that uses maps and compasses to find locations and move through an area accurately. Orienteering challenges students to understand directions, distances, and landmarks while thinking critically about the best route to take. After learning how to properly use a compass, students completed a series of orienteering challenges that required communication, strategy, and perseverance.

The project then expanded into geocaching, a modern outdoor activity often described as a real-world treasure hunt. Geocaching uses GPS coordinates to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, placed by others in parks and public spaces. Each geocache typically contains a logbook and small items, and participants are encouraged to explore new areas while respecting nature and community spaces.

Using their new knowledge, students worked in groups to create PowerPoint presentations proposing the location and description of a Burns-sponsored geocache, which was fully funded by the Kiwanis grant. Groups carefully researched locations and considered accessibility, safety, and how their geocache could encourage community engagement. The chosen proposal was to place the geocache at Mary DeWees Park, helping invite more people to visit and appreciate the parks and natural spaces Oak Hill has to offer.

To bring the project full circle, the 5th-grade classes took a walking field trip to Mary DeWees Park to visit the geocache in person. Students were excited to see their planning come to life and take pride in contributing something lasting to the community. They will continue to maintain the geocache throughout the school year, learning responsibility, stewardship, and teamwork along the way.

We extend a heartfelt thank you to Kiwanis for making this experience possible. Their support allowed students to connect classroom learning with real-world application, explore their community, and discover new ways to navigate, explore, and give back.

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