Journey North Mystery Class Spring 2006

Mystery Class Update: March 3, 2006

Today's Report Includes:

Most Recent Sunrise/Sunset Data
Discussion of Challenge Question #2: What Happened to Class #9?
Converging or Diverging? Challenge Questions #3 & #4
Longitude Clues Coming Next Week
Now Playing: Countdown to Longitude Clues
One More Prep Session
Speaking of the Equinox. . .
What's Next on the Calendar?

Most Recent Sunrise/Sunset Data
The fifth set of Sunrise/Sunset data has now arrived:

This Week's Sunrise/Sunset Data
Need to Catch Up?
All Sunrise/Sunset Data to Date

Discussion of CQ #2: The Plot Thickens--What Happened to Class #9?
Speaking of data, last week's sunrise/sunset data for MC #9 had such a sudden and unusual one-hour change, that it made one class write to double check: "Are the times correct for class #9 for the week of Feb. 20?" That sudden data shift was exactly the topic of Challenge Question #2.

Did you figure out what happened to Class #9?

Discussion of Challenge Question #2

Converging or Diverging?
After you've plotted today's fifth set of data, what do your graph lines reveal? Can you determine whether the photoperiods for the ten secret sites are coming together or growing apart? And what does this mean?

Study your graph carefully, and then try to answer these questions:

Challenge Question #3:
"Look at your graph and think about what you have discovered about sunlight and seasons in your hometown and at Mystery Class #4. What type of weather changes do you think Mystery Class #4 might be experiencing right now? How does that compare to your hometown weather?"

Challenge Question #4:
"Can you predict what your graph will look like on March 20, 2006, the Vernal Equinox? Why do you think so?"

To respond to these Challenge Questions, please follow these instructions

Longitude Clues Coming Next Week
In next week's Update, we'll provide the long-awaited Longitude Clues and instructions. These clues relate to the upcoming Vernal Equinox, and they will be amazing. Why? Because they will help you estimate the APPROXIMATE Longitude of the Mystery Classes, and get you closer to discovering where they are hiding. But how does this work?

Watch video from Massachusetts teacher Holly Cerullo, whose students are "beginning to narrow it down":

Countdown to Longitude
Video Clip

(Tips)

One More Prep Session

And don't miss this important additional help to get you prepared for the Longitude Clues. Learn how GMT Sunrise Time data will help you estimate longitude for all ten Mystery sites:

The Longitude Problem

Speaking of the Equinox. . .
What's the "standing" of your eggs these days? There's still time to test this "eggcellent" experiment before, during and after the Equinox: The "Powers" of the Equinox

What's Next? Check the Calendar

February 3- April 14:	Each Friday, Sunrise/Sunset Times are posted for the ten Mystery Sites.
Feb 17, 24, Mar.3:	Getting Ready for the Longitude Clues
March 10:	The "Longitude Clues" are posted.
March 17, 24 & 31, April 7 & 14	Interdisciplinary clues from the Mystery Sites are posted each week. (Please Note--out of fairness to all participants, we will only post the clues on their scheduled dates.)
April 21: Deadline for Your Answers!	No late entries will be accepted (out of fairness to all participants, no exceptions.)
April 28:	Mystery Sites Revealed!
May 5:	Meet Your Mystery Friends!

Have Questions? See Mystery Class FAQ

The Next Mystery Class Update Will Be Posted on March 10, 2006