Date: May 1994

Grade Level(s): 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Subject(s):

• Computer Science

Overview:

Students need an opportunity to collect and exchange data with other classrooms. This activity provides opportunities for making comparisons, making predictions, and communicating electronically through computer networks.

Objectives: Students will gain practice in the following activities:

1. patterning
2. predicting
3. graphing
4. calculating in base 12
5. networking via computer

Procedure:

1. Collecting, calculating, patterning, and predicting
   1. Collection of data (time of sunrise and sunset) can be obtained by student observation or from local weather station. Make a table to record the data:

      Date	Nov.1	Nov.2	Nov.3
      Sunrise Time	9:10	9:12	9:15
      Sunset	5:03	5:01	4:59
      Daylight Hours	7h53m	7h49m	7h44m

      Groups are responsible for recording each day and sending the data at the end of the week.

   2. Calculating the daylight hours - provide students with clocks and model strategies for calculating elapsed time (adding minutes and hours is different because it used base 12 instead of base 10).
   3. Look for patterns and make predictions
      1. After a couple of weeks of data collection, have a whole group discussion about patterns.
   4. Small group prediction assignments (based on data patterns).
      1. 1st day: "Predict the time of tomorrow's sunrise. Show your work and explain your answer."
      2. 2nd day: "Predict the time of tomorrow's sunset. Show your work and explain your answer."
      3. 3rd day: "Predict tomorrow's daylight hours. Show your work and explain your answer."
      4. Extension: "Predict the sunrise in your area (or another geographic area) one week from today." Students may have to wait a week to confirm their predictions if you are networking weekly.
2. Sharing data with students in other geographic regions (via computer network)
   1. Contact other teachers to decide what, when, and how to send data. Agree on the format and the time frame (starting and ending date). It is important to obtain a firm commitment from each teacher because the success of the project will be minimized if some of the participants stop sending data.
   2. Students use word processor to write a weekly report. They may include some personal information (about themselves and their town because socializing greatly appeals to students of this age group!)
   3. Groups learn to get on-line and send text.
   4. Groups post copies of the messages sent and received under the weekly data table:

      Weekly Table	Weekly Table	Weekly Table
      Out Message	Out Message	Out Message
      In Message	In Message	In Message
      In Message	In Message	In Message

3. Graphing and Comparing data
   1. Use graph paper to make a vertical bar graph from midnight to midnight (24 hour period), coloring night hours black and daylight hours yellow (this can also be done on the computer).
   2. Groups also graph data from other places.
   3. Tables and graphs from different areas are compared.
      1. Discussion on the reason for changes may lead into
         1. lesson on time zones or earth rotation.

Tying It All Together: Display graphs, predictions, and conclusion at a Science Fair or School Parent Night.