Mystery Class Update: March 9, 2001 Today's Report Includes: No Need to Jump Off the Edge of Space! Spring Fever Anyone?: Challenge Question #3 Countdown to Clues Teacher Tip: Graphing Photoperiod This Week's Sunrise/Sunset Times No Need to Jump Off the Edge of Space! "A former Australian army commando plans to jump off the edge of outer space and plummet to Earth in the highest skydive ever," a newspaper report said. "He will make the 40,000 meter jump by riding in a hot air balloon to the edge of space. He will wear a astronaut's suit to protect his body from extreme pressures. If he succeeds, he will break the sound barrier," the report added. Apparently, no one told this gentleman that you don't have to go to outer space to get the Mystery Class sunrise/sunset data! He could have just waited for today's Update, because your 10 secret Mystery friends have sent in their fifth set of sunrise/sunset data--all in the comfort of your own classroom. Hmmm, do you know how many vertical miles this daredevil will have traveled by the time he lands on Earth? Spring Fever Anyone? Are you noticing some interesting changes in your Mystery Class graph? Plot today's data, look at your graph carefully, and then try to answer: Challenge Question #3: "What do you think your graph will look like on March 20, 2001? Why do you think so?" (To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.) Countdown to Clues In just one week, you'll receive the long-awaited Longitude Clue to help you estimate the approximate longitude of the Mystery Classes. After that, you'll receive more clues each week for five weeks, until April 27 when you'll send in your answers and tell us where you think the 10 secret Mystery Classes are located. March 16: The Longitude Clue is Given March 23, 30, April 6, 13 & 20: New Clues Given Each Week April 27: Answers Due! Teacher Tip: Graphing Photoperiod Preparing the photoperiod graph helps students visualize and compare the daylength changes at each secret location, as well as at their own hometown. The graph is one of the most revealing components of the Mystery Class activity. Students can determine which secret locations are in the Northern Hemisphere, the Southern Hemisphere, or the near the Equator, and they can also determine a north/south order. And by plotting their own hometown's photoperiod on the graph too, it allows them to compare the 10 Mystery sites to the one place they already know the location of--home! Take a look at Nebraska Teacher and Journey North Teacher Advisory Board member Gayle Kloewer's comments on how her class graphs and compares photoperiod: Teacher Tip: Mystery Class/Graphing Photoperiod This Week's Sunrise/Sunset Times Remember, the secret Mystery sites recorded their times last Monday, the same day you collected your own local sunrise/sunset data. Journey North Mystery Class Sunrise/Sunset Data Data For: Monday, March 5, 2001 MYSTERY CLASS SUNRISE SUNSET #1 07:03 18:34 #2 07:23 19:27 #3 06:35 19:16 #4 06:58 18:48 #5 05:44 22:19 #6 06:37 17:48 #7 07:10 19:55 #8 06:41 18:29 #9 06:34 18:54 #10 06:42 18:10 Note: Military time is usually expressed without any punctuation. We have used a ":" between the hours and minutes for clarity.) How to Respond to Today's Challenge Question: IMPORTANT: Answer only ONE question in each e-mail message. 1. Address an E-mail message to: jn-challenge-mclass@learner.org 2. In the Subject Line of the message write: Challenge Question #3 3. In the body of the message, answer the question above. The Next Mystery Class Update Will be Posted on March 16, 2001 Copyright 2001 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form