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Introduction to Reading GPS Time Series Plots
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This lesson provides a brief introduction to GPS and provides a student activity to practice creating and reading time series plots with simplified GPS data. Students graph how a tectonic plate (and the GPS unit attached to it) has moved over a five year time period by moving a GPS model across a North-East coordinate graph.
The following files are needed to complete this activity:
- Introduction to Reading GPS Time Series Plots (v. Jun 2010) [ppt]
- Student Worksheet Reading Time Series Plots (v. Jul 2010) [pdf] [doc] ; in Spanish v. 2008 [pdf] [doc]
- Tenths of a Year to Months of a Year Scale
- Reading Time Series Plots Reference Key [pdf] ; in Spanish [pdf]
After this activity, students explore authentic GPS data; see:
Exploring Plate Motion and Deformation in California Using GPS Time Series Plots
Using GPS data to visualize plate tectonics in the Pacific Northwest
Real GPS Data: Surprising Discoveries in Iceland
Additional Resources:
The activity: Introduction to Reading Time Series Plots and activity: Exploring Plate Motion and Deformation in California Using GPS Time Series Plots have been tied together in a single Lesson Plan (v.June 2008) [materials] This lesson plan also includes an answer key.
