Journey North Mystery Class Spring 2004

Mystery Class Update: March 26, 2004

Today's Report Includes:

A Sneak Peek From Space?
All the (Latitude) News That's Fit To Print!
Timely Teacher Tips
All Things Being Equal: Challenge Question #3
Eggstraordinary Reminder
This Week's Sunrise/Sunset Times
CLUES From Your Mystery Friends
Clues Calendar: Plan Ahead and Mark Your Calendars

A Sneak Peek From Space?
Would you like to see your mystery sites a little early? Here's a little glimpse. Looking down from space, 9 of the 10 Mystery Classes are shown in this recent image of Earth from Space. But "where?" you ask. See if this helps. The dark area of the image shows where it is night on Earth, and the light area shows where it is day. Based on that, we can tell you:

"MC# 3 and #9 have been awake for a short time now, while MC # 1 and #5 and #7 have been awake a few hours longer;

MC# 10 will be stirring from their sleep pretty soon;

MC# 4 and #2 are still tucked in for a good long sleep yet, but they will be the next to have daylight;

MC# 8 still has daylight, but they will be the next to encounter nighttime.

All the (Latitude) News That's Fit To Print!
Forget Nike, Puma, Converse and the others--have you heard the news? There's a cool new invention called "Latitude Shoes". A pair of these allows anyone who wears them to travel aloft around the globe at their own Latitude in just 24 hours. Now that's some hang time! Do you know any athlete that can do that?!

More on this breaking story will be published in next Thursday's April 1st Latitude Sun Times newspaper, but we've got an advance copy for you. We hope you'll find it "uplifting"!

Link to Newspaper Article--"Latitude Shoes"

Timely Teacher Tips
Speaking of tracking the time around the globe, take a look at the "timely" World Clocks lesson from Mystery Class veteran teacher Cathie Plaehn (sure to be a big help to Latitude Shoes global travelers), and the "Follow the Sun" lesson to understand the real reason why the sun feels warmer:

We've also collected the latest sunrise/sunset data below and the next set of clues from your 10 secret Mystery Friends too. (They'd love to tell you more, but they can't right now--their lips are sealed.)

All Things Being Equal?
A few weeks ago, we asked you to think about what your graphs would look like on the Equinox. It is said that on the Equinox, every place on Earth has the same amount of daylight and night, twelve hours each. Is that what you discovered? As some of you saw, many locations do not appear to have EXACTLY twelve hours of equal day and night on the Equinox. This made us wonder:

Challenge Question #3:
"Why don't all locations appear to have EXACTLY twelve hours of day and night on the Equinox?"

(To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.)

Eggstraordinary Reminder
Remember to continue your egg balancing tests this week and next! After that we'll ask if you had any eggstraordinary experiences in your testing.

In the meantime, take a look at the photograph below of York Nebraska teacher Gayle Kloewer trying to balance a dozen eggs at a table.

Mrs. Kloewer trying for an even dozen standing eggs.

What an "Eggceptional" Job!

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.

Link to This Week's Sunrise/Sunset Data

CLUES from Your Mystery Friends
Here is the second set of interdisciplinary clues from the Mystery Sites themselves.

Link to This Week's Clues from Your Mystery Friends

Note to Teachers: Plan Ahead and Mark Your Clues Calendar
Here's the 2004 Mystery Class Schedule so you know what to expect from Journey North. Please be sure to plan ahead.

February 6- April 16:	Each Friday, Sunrise/Sunset Times are posted for the ten Mystery Sites.
March 12:	The "Longitude Clue" is posted.
March 19, 26, April 2, 9 & 16:	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 23: Deadline for Your Answers!	No late entries will be accepted (out of fairness to all participants, no exceptions.)
April 30:	Mystery Sites Revealed!
May 7:	Meet Your Mystery Friends!

How to Respond to Today's Challenge Questions:

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 your message write: Challenge Question #3
3. In the body of EACH message, give your answer to ONE of the questions above.

The Next Mystery Class Update Will Be Posted on April 2, 2004