Activity 1: Pandora’s Treasure Hunt: Geocaching
In Doomed, Pandora’s father sends her 12 pictures that trigger a cyberterrorist attack. Each of the pictures provides a clue in the video game that she must play. While they are in the video game, Pandora, Eli and Theo are searching for coordinates that will instruct them where to go. Searching for coordinates is a fantastic parallel for a geocaching program. Geocaching is a recreational outdoor activity similar to a treasure hunt. Teens will be able to use coordinates to find specific geocaches just as Pandora and friends were able to find locations.
Books to Display
North of Beautiful by Justina Chen
Moxie and the Art of Rule Breaking by Erin Dionne
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Geocaching by The Editors of Geocaching.com
The Joy of Geocaching: How to Find Health, Happiness and Creative Energy Through a
Worldwide Treasure Hunt by Paul Gillin and Dana Gillin
Geocaching for Dummies by Joel McNamara
Geocaching: Basic Beginner’s Guide by Vince Migliore
Supply List
GPS or smartphone
Computer with internet access
Paper/Pencils
Small trinkets or toys to put in geocache (optional)
Projector (optional)
Detailed Description of Activity
This geocaching activity can be done two different ways depending on the library’s situation/location. If a geocache is near or on the library property, choose one or more of those geocache coordinates for the teens to hunt. If a geocache isn’t nearby, the librarian can hide a geocache on the property, and then, have the teenagers search for the new geocache.
Geocaching.com is a wonderful resource to any person interested in geocaching and any geocaching program. The first thing to do is sign up for their free basic account. Once you sign up at geocaching.com, searches can be made by zip code to see if any geocaches are local. Searching for the geocache will guide you as to how you will conduct this program.
Before the program begins, make sure the librarian running the program has either a GPS or a smartphone. The teens are welcome to use theirs to enter the coordinates and search right along with the leader.
At the beginning of the program, the librarian will give an overview of geocaching. This can be done by providing a quick explanation of what geocaching is and how it is conducted. The librarian can also go to the geocaching.com website and show this to the teens using a projector. From here, details can be given about geocaching dos and don’ts.
After an overview is given, start the hunt by entering the desired geocaching coordinates into the GPS or smartphone in the map application. The GPS/phone will have a location indicator and you will move around your location until you have found the geocache.
As mentioned above, if a geocache isn’t found locally, geocache locations can be added to geocaching.com. More information on how to do that is provided in this activity’s resources.
When the teens find the geocache, they can sign the logbook. The logbook gets signed whenever someone finds the geocache, so they will be able to see all the people who have come before them.
Incentives
In addition to a logbook found with a geocache, sometimes toys, trinkets, or other small objects are hidden. The teens can take an item found the geocache; however, it is proper geocache etiquette to leave something of equal value to the item you take. Be prepared with a small item to leave at the site.
Resources for Teens, Teachers & Librarians
Rules for Geocaching in Texas State Parks:
Hiding Your First Geocache:
Activity 2: Looks Delicious: Foraging for Wild Edibles
Doomed provides readers with a quick glimpse of what life would be like if all of the modern conveniences that are so relied upon suddenly vanished. What would our world look like if we no longer had electricity? How would society be able to obtain food? Pandora, Eli, and Theo had a pack of provisions and were able to barter in convenience stores, but what if this hadn’t been available? In this program, teens will learn some techniques on how to identify edibles found in the wild.
Books to Display
The Raft by S.A. Bodeen
Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
The Mountain Story by Lori Lansens
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
Supply List
Camera
Pen
Paper
Wild Edible Field Guides
Wild Edible Instructor
Detailed Description of Activity
If the library has funding available to hire an instructor to teach the teens about foraging, check local resources and book an instructor at least a month in advance to allow for advertising time. Local instructors might have different types of classes available and different class lengths. If the library does not have the funding to hire an instructor, check other local resources. There might be someone knowledgeable in this subject area who works at the local high school, a community college or an extension agency who would be able to volunteer his/her time. There might even be a foraging group in the area.
There are many different books and online resources available to use, so if it wasn’t possible to have an instructor come in, the librarian would be able to lead a class. The goal of this program is to take the teens on a tour of the areas surrounding the library and see if they can identify wild edibles.
Before the program begins, check out several plant identification books from the library to let teens look at the different types of plants that they can eat. Ask if there are any plants that they are surprised that they can eat. Also, before walking around the library building, ask teens if they can guess how many edibles they will be able to identify.
When you walk around the library building take some of the books with you to use as guides to share the nutritional value of the plant or some of the specifics to look for such as color, texture or size.
Have the students take notes on the different types of plants. If they have cameras or cell phones, they can take a picture of each plant they find.
If the librarian is leading the program rather than booking a presenter, check out some of the free apps that are available for download from the Apple Store or from Google Play. Be sure to read the information and the ratings before downloading. The apps have visual recognition software that will identify the plant based on the photo. It is always helpful to have the books on had that way you can double check the answer.
Resources for Teens, Teachers & Librarians
Foraging Guildelines 101:
Activity 3: I Will Survive: A Crash Course in First-Aid Training
Throughout the book, Pandora and her friends got injured and saw many others get hurt. In the face of a terrorist attack or even the unpredictability of every day, it is important to know basic First-Aid Skills. This program will teach some of the basics with interactive learning.
Books to Display
The American Red Cross First Aid and Safety Handbook by American Red Cross and Kathleen A. Handal
Bushcraft 101: A Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival by Dave Canterbury
Living Ready Pocket Manual- First Aid: Fundamentals for Survival by James Hubbard
Outdoor Life: The Ultimate Survival Manual: 333 Skills That Will Get You Out Alive by Richard Johnson
A Death-Struck Year by MakiiaLucier
SAS Survival Handbook, Third Edition: The Ultimate Guide to Surviving Anywhere by John “Lofty” Wiseman
Supply List
Projector
Computer/Laptop
Internet Connectivity
Detailed Description of Activity
If library funding is available, book a representative from the Red Cross to come to the library for a first-aid demonstration. On the Red Cross Website listed in the resources, librarians will be able to select the “Classroom” tab and look at the different types of classes that are offered by the Red Cross. If having a representative from the American Red Cross isn’t the best option for your library, check the local fire department and/or police department to see what sort of survival or first aid training they provide for classrooms/libraries. When having a demonstrator come to the library, make sure you have room for the students to move around. Depending on the presenter, they will have different requirements for their demonstration.
If a presenter is not able to be procured for this program, the American Red Cross offers free online classes. Have a room in the library where a computer/laptop can be connected to a projector. You will need to sign up for a free account with the American Red Cross, and you will be able to add one of their free online only classes to your cart to checkout and view. The teens will be able to watch the video and learn about basic first-aid skills.
Resources for Teens, Teachers & Librarians
American Red Cross
CPR Training with Red Cross: