Step 1: Pack for doing field work

For this lab we will be spending up to 1.5 hours outside.  Please pull together appropriate clothing a field recording material.

Please bring the following

1. Appropriate clothing including
   • Head ware for sun or cold
   • Mitts or gloves if it is cold
   • Warm shoes (especially if your lab is in the morning even if it is spring.
2. Equipment for taking field notes
   • a  digital camera (this will likely be your phone, if you do not have a phone camera, please email your lab faculty corrdinator and we can arrange to borrow a department digital camera)
   • blank paper
   • pen or pencil
   • clipboard or hard surface like a hardcover book.

Step 2: Come to lab with an idea for a subject of interest to map.

This lab lets you express your interests a bit. Below are lists of possible map themes that could work well for students, depending on where they go on campus.  The best theme is one that may have meaning or be of interest for you.  Is there something that would be useful for you to find?  Is there something that you think is important for others to know or visit?  Is there something interesting you would like to document? Is there something you would like to show those at home or in the community?

The restrictions are that the subject has to be found outside (to get a GPS signal), within walking distance of your lab room, and there must be 5-10 points that can be taken at different spots as part of your subject of interest. The points cannot be too close (each should definitely be more than 20 m apart, so you cannot use 7 trees in a row) but must be close enough that you can reasonably walk between them in 45 minutes.

Example campus map themes:

• any feature or evidence of processes in the hydrosphere/geosphere/atmosphere/biosphere (rock outcrops, erosion, urban stream sightings, best wildlife viewing areas)
• best views on campus
• location of photographs on a photography walk
• tour of bicycle/recycling facilities
• tour of public art
• distribution of observed litter of certain types
• tour of bike racks/facilities for cyclists
• distribution of building entrances that are not accessible to people with mobility challenges
• mapping building accessibility – non-accessible entrances to buildings
• best and worst places to park on campus
• tour of trees or groves of trees for wildlife of note
• distribution of wildlife sightings (birds, squirrels, deer)
• sites where footprints in snow or worn lawn indicate that a path/sidewalk is needed
• facilities for smokers
• tour of child-friendly outdoor areas
• tour of the best benches to have a quiet moment to yourself
• tour of gardens of note
• tour of building architecture
• closest naturalized areas to campus
• location of signs of past extreme heat
• distribution of animal sign (tracks)
• location of places that need a paved path for students
• location of invasive plant species
• places where wildlife has been observed
• Traditional Secwe̓pemc food or medicine plants
• building entrances near best coffee shops (or other business)
• public transit stops
• types of trees/gardens/dog facilities
• locations needing more pedestrian/accessible facilities (sidewalks/ramps/facilities for neurodiversity)
• evidence of colonialism/Indigenization
• special features

Sample themes for natural settings:

Any feature or evidence of processes in the hydrosphere/geosphere/atmosphere/biosphere such as locations of :

• certain plant species along a trail
• types of plant communities
• wildlife sightings
• animal sign
• rock or sediment outcrops
• landforms of note
• excellent viewpoints along a trail
• signs of erosion
• stream/wetland/lake features
• evidence of climatic events (drought/heat/fire)
• culturally important locations on the landscape
• parks and green spaces that are within walking distance (5+)
• Your favourite walking/hiking trail and points of attractions
• Good nature and/or bird watching sites in your local area
• Bus stops, coffee shops, or bookstores (5+ stops, a better option in cities)
• Different tree and/or plant species that can be found nearby
• Best places to eat that are in your local area (better option in cities)

Step 2: Do a little preliminary online research (totally optional).

If you pick a subject of interest that you know little about, you may want to spend a bit of time researching it online before heading outside. After you have researched the subject a bit, open Google Maps on your computer or smartphone before wandering outside, and look for your address and potential stop points.

If you have chosen something you are already familiar with (i.e., you are looking at birds in your community and you bird watch daily), this step can be skipped.

Safety note: do NOT complete this exercise until receiving a safety briefing and filing the proper paperwork (if applicable). Your first responsibility when arriving at a site is to ascertain whether or not the terrain is safe to traverse. If not, find a new location.

Step 1: Download the Google Maps app onto your smartphone

Spatial mapping software is a common feature of most smartphones for providing directions. The two most commonly used programs for navigating are Google Maps and Apple Maps. Google Maps operates on all smartphone operating systems and therefore will be the software package we use for the lab.

Prior to the lab, download the Google Maps app to your smart device. Take some time to experiment with Google Maps before the start of the lab. There are a wide range of introductory Google Maps tutorials on the web to help you practice the following:

• Opening Google Maps in map view (the default view).
• Typing in an address and asking for walking (pedestrian symbol) and driving (car symbol) directions from where you are.
• Typing in a feature and asking for directions on public transit from where you are. Look for the bus icon. Which bus should you take? How long does it take?
• Searching for a category of things. For example, search Grocery Store.
• Switching to satellite view and back to map view. Take some time to scroll around where you live using the satellite view. Can you find any forested areas?
• Dropping a pin at a location. On a smartphone, this involves pressing and holding on a chosen location.

During lab, your instructor will show you how to mark a point:

1. Zoom in to the location where you wish to mark a point. Do this by pinching two fingers in to zoom out, and apart to zoom in.
2. Place your finger on the location you wish to mark, and hold it until a Pin is dropped on that location.
3. The latitude and longitude of the location in decimal degrees will be displayed in the top menu bar. These can be written down.
4. The point can be shared with yourself by clicking on the share icon. You can email or text the point in order to keep it.
5. You can click on Label, choose a name for the point and then save the point to your device.

Step 2: Prepare your field notes .

Open the Field Notes Template on Moodle. On your piece of paper create a data table like the one on the template. The provided template includes a table for recording your stop descriptions and point coordinates, and a space for a field sketch of your route. This page can either be printed out, or reproduced on paper you have on hand. Make sure you have this ready to go before going outside.

Step 3:  Enable your smartphone “Location Settings”

You will be mapping locations in the field during the lab using mapping software built into your mobile device. Make sure that you have determined how to turn on and off your device’s location settings. In Android, it is under your main device settings. In some versions there is a Location setting. In other versions, you may have to look under Biometric and Security. You may also be able to swipe down from the top of your screen to access a quick link to turn location services on and off. On Apple devices, Location Services is found in Settings → Privacy. Typically, when you turn on any mapping app such as Google Maps, you will be prompted to turn on your location service, in which case you won’t need to search in your settings to turn on your GPS.

Step 4: Locate and go to your first stop. Collect coordinates, notes, and a photograph.

Once you are at your first stop, open Google Maps on your mobile device. (Make sure the data option is enabled if you don’t have this set as the default). You should see the location that you are at. As a reminder, mark a point at your current location:

1. Zoom in to the location where you wish to mark a point. Do this by pinching two fingers in to zoom out, and apart to zoom in.
2. Place your finger on the location you wish to mark, and hold it until a Pin is dropped on that location.
3. The latitude and longitude of the location in decimal degrees will be displayed in the top menu bar. Write this down on your field notes.
4. The point can be shared with yourself by clicking on the share icon. You can email, or text the point in order to keep it.
5. Click on Add Label and choose a name for the point, and then save it to your device.

Record a description of your point and the latitude and longitude on your field notes. Then take a photograph of the subject of interest at this stop in landscape orientation (not portrait). It is recommended that you take multiple photographs so you can select the best one later.

If you had a valid reason for missing lab, watch the following video in order to get a sense of what you will be doing and to get some important pointers or inspire questions regarding the methods used to create place marks.  The video was created during the pandemic when all labs were done from home and assumes students have done a quick skim of the outdoor instructions.

Video:  Introductory video to the fieldwork for this lab originally filmed for Fall 2020, please ignore the alternative lab number and title.

Repeat Step 4 for the remainder of your stops.

Go to the second stop and collect coordinates and a photograph, then go the third stop and collect coordinates and a photograph, and so on. You need to have a minimum of 5 stops (a maximum of 10), and they need to be within a reasonable walking distance of each other, but not too close. If you can throw a ball between stops, they are too close.

Step 5: At your final stop, produce your (very basic) field sketch map.

Produce a field sketch of your route, including all of the stops. Since you have pinned your stops on Google Maps, you can zoom out and see them all at once. This will help with the general shape of your route, and relative distances between each stop. Your field sketch should also include a point of reference. A good point of reference is something that would show up on Google Maps or Google Earth if searched for, like a named school, library, or park. Your field sketch must be completed outside, and you are not permitted to reproduce it once inside. Sketch a map of the area you identified. You do not need to be an artist to complete a field sketch. The best maps are simple with clearly defined lines. Give your map:

1. A north arrow
2. A scale bar (A line where you label approximately how far the line represents).
3. Labels for all your stops.
4. A few landmarks like buildings or roads.

Important:  Before leaving the field, take the following two photos:

1. A close-up of your field notes with the coordinates and sketch map.
2. A selfie of you and your field notes in front of your final stop of interest.  Alternatively, you could photograph a piece of non-sensitive ID (cover important numbers) and your field sketch in front of your final stop of interest.

Step 6: Return to lab.

1. Show your instructor your data and sketch map so that they have an opportunity to provide you with feedback and ensure you get full marks.
2. Start a MSWord document on your computer and add – starting with your data sheet – all your photos by emailing them to yourself if you can not access your cloud storage on your desk/laptop.
3. Check the rubric (scroll down on the Moodle dropbox page to the bottom), grab a screenshot of this rubric and add it to the end of your file before saving your pdf. 
4. Write your answer to the reflection questions at the end of your document (See Reflection Questions below). Just be honest and come up with one thing for each question.
5. Save your file as a PDF with the format WI26_LASTName_Lab1.pdf
6. Upload your pdf to the Moodle Dropbox in a single pdf.