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.
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