Using the GPS for Tracking Bald Eagles (or Caribou): Tracking Sheet Jim Minerich teaches 4th Grade at Pequot Lakes School in Pequot Lakes, MN. He shared a good strategy for tracking the satellite-collared caribou with his class during the spring migration. Use the same strategy for tracking the spring movements of Bald eagles. Minerich's students use a hand-held GPS (Global Positioning System) to assist them in determining the distance and direction each caribou moves between data updates. "Our classroom uses a hand-help GPS to help us determine the distance and direction that each of the satellite-collared caribou move from update to update. Our GPS has as one of its functions a distance between waypoints function. Even though we know the data is days apart the direction is given to us in degrees. Our GPS does not use decimals so we have learned how to convert decimals to min/sec by multiplying. (For how to do conversions from decimals to min/sec see Conversions for Lat/Long.) We use a worksheet to keep track of all the steps used for finding the distance and direction. Print a copy of this: Name Date Way- point Latitude Convert Longitude Convert Distance Direction Observation                                                                                                                                                                 Copyright 2006 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form