Today's Update Includes:
- Countdown to Mystery Class: Four Months to Go!
- What is Mystery Class? A Global Game of Hide-and-Seek
- How Can I Prepare for Mystery Class? Start With Wonder!
- Please Share: Your Suggestions, Tips, or Questions
Mystery Class begins in February. Watch for monthly "Countdown to Mystery Class" messages to help you get ready.
Happy Fall Equinox! Autumn begins in the Northern Hemisphere on September 22nd. Fall is a good time to begin to explore the relationship between sunlight and seasonal change as you "countdown" the months before Mystery Class begins.
Mystery Class is a global game of hide-and-seek where students follow the sun to locate ten top-secret sites "hidden" around the world. Using sunrise and sunset times, students try to find out where in the world each mystery class is located. As they search for the sites, students also discover the reasons for seasons.
Explore the: |
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Start With Wonder!
1. Build Your Own Background Knowledge
Read about the relationship between sunlight and the seasons by exploring the information and activities found at this link:
- Reasons for Seasons: Exploring the Astronomy of Seasonal Change
2. Begin to Make Observations
Help students build background knowledge and skills by simply observing the seasonal changes that are taking place all around them. Have them pay attention to the position of the sun in the sky at different times of day. Also, have them begin recording daily sunrise and sunset times, and calculating changes in day length, called photoperiod. (Photoperiod is the length of time between sunrise and sunset.)
3. Ask Questions to Build Wonder
Build curiosity about the observations students make and the data they collect by asking questions such as these: What causes day and night? Why are the seasons changing? What is the connection between sunlight and seasons? Encourage students to pose their own questions and start a chart of student-generated questions.
Please send us your own suggestions, tips or questions!
This Fall, Watch for Additional Monthly "Countdown" to Mystery Class Updates.
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