TITLE:  SUNRISE - SUNSET

AUTHOR:  Anne Germain, Houghtaling Elementary School, Ketchikan, AK

GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT:  Appropriate for grades 4-12
      Works well in a "cooperative group" setting

OVERVIEW: Students need an opportunity to collect and exchange data with
other classrooms.  This activity provides opportunities for making
comparisons, making predictions, and communicating electronically
through computer networks.

OBJECTIVES: Students will gain practice in the following activities:
1. patterning
2. predicting
3. graphing
4. calculating in base 12
5. networking via computer

RESOURCES/MATERIALS NEEDED: computers, computer network hook-up,
"electronic classroom partners".

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:

1. Collecting, calculating, patterning, and predicting
A. Collection of data (time of sunrise and sunset) can 
   be obtained by student observation or from local 
   weather station.  Make a table to record the data:


     Date             Nov.1         Nov.2         Nov.3

     Sunrise Time     9:10           9:12           9:15

     Sunset           5:03           5:01           4:59

     Daylight Hours   7h53m         7h49m       7h44m


    Groups are responsible for recording each day and 

     sending the data at the end of the week.

B. Calculating the daylight hours - provide students

   with clocks and model strategies for calculating

   elapsed time (adding minutes and hours is different

   because it used base 12 instead of base 10).

C. Look for patterns and make predictions

   1. After a couple of weeks of data collection, have

      a whole group discussion about patterns.

D. Small group prediction assignments (based on data

   patterns).

   1. 1st day: "Predict the time of tomorrow's sunrise. Show your work and 
explain your answer."

   2. 2nd day: "Predict the time of tomorrow's sunset. Show your work and 
explain your answer."

   3. 3rd day: "Predict tomorrow's daylight hours. Show your work and 
explain your answer."

   4. Extension: "Predict the sunrise in your area (or another geographic 
area) one week from today." Students may have to wait a week to confirm 
their predictions if you are networking weekly.


2. Sharing data with students in other geographic regions 

(via computer network)


A. Contact other teachers to decide what, when, and how to send data. 
Agree on the format and the time frame (starting and ending date). It is 
important to obtain a firm commitment from each teacher because the 
success of the project will be minimized if some of the participants stop 
sending data.  


B. Students use word processor to write a weekly report. 

They may include some personal information (about 

themselves and their town because socializing greatly

appeals to students of this age group!)

C. Groups learn to get on-line and send text. 

C. Groups post copies of the messages sent and received under the weekly 
data table:


    WEEKLY TABLE     WEEKLY TABLE      WEEKLY TABLE

    OUT MESSAGE       OUT MESSAGE       OUT MESSAGE

    IN MESSAGE         IN MESSAGE        IN MESSAGE

    IN MESSAGE         IN MESSAGE        IN MESSAGE


3. Graphing and Comparing data


  A. Use graph paper to make a vertical bar graph from

midnight to midnight (24 hour period), coloring night

hours black and daylight hours yellow (this can

also be done on the computer).

B. Groups also graph data from other places.

C. Tables and graphs from different areas are compared.

   1. Discussion on the reason for changes may lead into

      a lesson on time zones or earth rotation.


TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:

Display graphs, predictions, and conclusion at a Science Fair or School 
Parent Night.