| Showcase Students’ Learning
Mystery Class Assessment Tools
The Mystery Class activity is wrapping up. During the year, students calculated, recorded and graphed photoperiod, made predictions, reflected in journals, and explored concepts with engaging lessons and handouts.
As the end of the school year approaches, think about a culmination project or presentation to wrap up your Mystery Class unit. Have students create a product that showcases concepts learned and skills attained. Here are some examples to spark your thinking:
- Travel Brochures—Challenge students to create a brochure that
entices travelers to visit one of the Mystery Class locations.
Have them think about this question: "What are some of the interesting things that you learned about this location that would entice a traveler to visit?"
Students should "sell" the trip by describing its unique location, climate, vegetation, people, wildlife, foods, culture, language, currency, history, language, and other selling points.
- Think about combining the brochures with a celebration in which students present the brochures, receive certificates, and share foods they learned about from their Mystery Classes.
- Mystery Class Scrapbook—Invite students to review updates, graphs, datasheets, handouts and other materials used during the year. Have them collect photos, quotes, facts, and other items that could be used to design a scrapbook that shows what they did and what they learned during the global game of hide-and-seek.
- Reasons for Seasons Assessment Tool
Watching the wave of spring sweep northward is at the heart of Journey North and Mystery Class. All seasonal change is driven by one underlying factor: the change in available sunlight. This includes the amount of time sunlight is available (photoperiod/daylength); and the intensity of sunlight (due to the angle at which it strikes the Earth). Mystery Class challenged students to find secret locations using sunrise and sunset data as primary clues. Here are assessment opportunities to help you document student understanding of key concepts, and plan for next year as well:
- Student Portfolios—Invite students to review their work and select items for their portfolio to showcase what they learned.
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