From: vdexter@tidepool.com (Ginny)
Subject: Re: ANNOUNCING THE RESULTS of the MYSTERY SITE ACTIVITY
Date: Thu, 29 May 1997 16:51:06 -0700 (PDT)
Dear Jan and debaters,
Hi, from the kids in the 5/6 grade Hydesville School science
class! We spent part of the day today discussing the results. (This was
the first day we have departmentalized since the results were posted. ) The
students would like to inquire or challenge:
Mystery Site #3 = A (Texas) 26 degrees North Latitude
> 97 degrees West Longitude
The students ruled this one out as they checked 4 different atlas and each
one put 26 degrees North Latitude and 97 degrees West Longitude in the Gulf
of Mexico. They also went on the net and used NGS data sheet by area which
gives 2 miles radius of a given latitude and longitude:
http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/FORMS/ds_area.html
Every indication they got was that this site was in the Gulf of Mexico, and
they stated you can't have cactus plants and a salt water lake in a gulf.
I told them today that I would send you their findings and have you get
back to them. Thanks! gin
At 12:51 PM 5/27/97, Jan Wee wrote:
>Dear discuss-lfm and debate-lfm members,
>
>
>ANNOUNCING THE RESULTS OF THE...
>
> "WHERE IN THE WORLD ARE THESE P.E.T. MYSTERY SITES?" ACTIVITY
>
>Forty-five elementary, middle school, and high school classes
>(approximately 1100 students) completed the Mystery Site Activity.
>Each class submitted an entry by the due date (May 20th 1997) indicating
>their BEST answers for the locales of the five MYSTERY SITES.
>
>This enrichment activity required students to use their
>critical thinking skills to analyze descriptive information
>including weather, soil, water, flora and fauna data and digital
>images (GIF files) and posed a *rigorous challenge* for all
>participants. Each and every class can be PROUD of having
>accepted and completed the challenge! It was no easy task!!
>
>A full description of this activity is available online
>via the Live From Mars web site at:
>
> http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/mars/events/pdi/mystery.html
>
>The CORRECT ANSWERS and the WINNING CLASSES for each LEVEL
>are indicated below. Thanks to all who participated and
>CONGRATULATIONS to ALL who gave this their best effort!!
>
>Jan Wee, PTK Education Outreach Coordinator
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>
>
>LEVEL ONE: ELEMENTARY (Sites #2,3, 5, 6, and 7)
>
>
> Mystery Site #2 = B (Alaska) 58 degrees 25 minutes North Latitude
> 134 degrees 30 minutes West Longitude
>
> Mystery Site #3 = A (Texas) 26 degrees North Latitude
> 97 degrees West Longitude
>
> Mystery Site #5 = C (Michigan) 42 degrees 10 minutes North Latitude
> 83 degrees 40 minutes West Longitude
>
>
> Mystery Site #6 = B (Palmer Station, Antarctica)
> 64 degrees 46 minutes South Latitude
> 64 degrees 05 minutes West Longitude
>
> Mystery Site #7 = C (Wisconsin) 43 degrees 49 minutes North Latitude
> 91 degrees 15 minutes West Longitude
>
>
>
> RESULTS --- Ten classes participated -- THREE classes had four out of
> five answers CORRECT...
>
> 1) April Weyland of Gidding Texas
> 2) Julie Taylor of Adelanto, California
> 3) Sharon Regner of Los Gatos, California
>
> WINNER -----> APRIL WEYLAND's class won the RANDOM DRAWING! <------
>
>
> OTHER PARTICIPATING CLASSES: Ginny Dexter-- Hydesville School,
> Hydesville, California; Mellie Lewis-- Atholton Elementary
> School, Columbia, Maryland; Clara Schoppe (homeschool) of
> Gilman, VT; Elaine Heine -- Lockmar Elementary of Palm Bay,
> Florida; Ken Gagner--Morris Area Elementary of Morris,
> Minnesota; Patricia Steiner-- John Glenn School of Pine Hill,
> New Jersey; and Robin Woods--The Harley School of
>Rochester, NY.
>
>
>________________________________________________________________________
>
>
>LEVEL TWO: MIDDLE SCHOOL (Sites 1,2, 3, 4, 5)
>
>
> Mystery Site # 1 D = England
>
> 53 degrees 21 minutes North Latitude
> 1 degree 48 minutes West Longitude
>
> Mystery Site # 2 B = Alaska
>
> 58 degrees 25 minutes North Latitude
> 134 degrees 30 minutes West Longitude
>
> Mystery Site # 3 E = Texas
>
> 26 degrees North Latitude
> 97 degrees West Longitude
>
> Mystery Site # 4 A = Wisconsin
>
> 43 degrees 30 minutes North Latitude
> 89 degrees West Longitude
>
> Mystery Site # 5 B = Michigan
>
> 42 degrees 10 minutes North Latitude
> 83 degrees 40 minutes West Longitude
>
>
> Thirty-four middle school classes completed the challenge.
> Six classes tied for the highest score of *three out of
> five* correct answers. Eleven classes had two out of five
> correct and fourteen had at least one correct answer.
>
>
> The HIGHEST SCORING CLASSES included:
>
> Darlene Taylor (Dixon Middle School, Provo, Utah
> MESA 1sr hour)
>
> Eileen Bendixsen (Beers Street Middle School,
>Hazlet, NJ
> Period 10)
>
> Cheryl Slawsky (Beers Street Middle School, Hazlet, NJ
> Period 2)
>
> Susan Hurstcalderone (Sacrament School, Washington, DC
> 8AB)
>
> Kable 7 (Gates Intermediate, Scituate, MA)
>
> Kable 1 (Gates Intermediate, Scituate, MA)
>
>
> WINNER -----> Eileen Bendixsen's class won the RANDOM DRAWING!
><------
>
>
> OTHER PARTICIPATING CLASSES: James Carter -- South Lee, England;
>Susan
> Hurstcalderone--8CD-Sacrament School, DC; Lucy Marske--Souix
> Center Middle School-four classes-Sioux Center, Iowa; Cheryl
> Slawsky--Beers Street Middle School- Period 10, 1, 8, 9;
> Eileen Bendixsen-- Beers Street Middle School, Period 3,
> 6-7, 8, Arachnids, Hazlet, NJ; Clara Schoppe (homeschool,
> Gilman, VT; Ann Min-- Beardsley Middle School, Crystal Lake,
> Illinois; Theresa Hall, Canyon ES, Grade 6, La Canada,
> California; Ruth Wahl - Central School, Allegheny, NY;
> Susan Cowles--Linn-Benton School, Albany, Oregon, Charles
> Lindgren (Periods 1,2,4,5,6 and Kable--Period 1, 3, 4, 6--Gates
> Intermediate School, Scituate, MA.
>
>_____________________________________________________________________________
>
>LEVEL THREE: HIGH SCHOOL (Mystery Sites #1-5 -- See Answer's in Latitude
> and Longitude given above in the Middle School
> section)
>
> Two classes completed the activity -- Karen Young's and
> Debora Mosher's classes. High School level students
> were required to submit their best guess for the exact
> location in LATITUDE and LONGITUDE for each of the
> Mystery Sites. The basis of determining the winner was the
> LOWEST total number of degrees off from the exact locations.
>
> WINNER --------------> Karen Young's Class, Serrano High
> School, Partnership Academy Environmental Science, Grades
> 10 and 11.
>
> Karen's class submitted Latitude and Longitude which
> was only 169 degrees 85 minutes off for ALL FIVE SITES.
> Karen's class came with in 1 degree of Mystery Site #4 and
> 3 degrees 40 minutes of Mystery Site # 5!
>
> Debora Mosher's students (Virginia Beach, VA) had a total of
> 231 degrees 47 minutes off. These students also came
> >>>>very close<<<< to the exact locations for sites number
> four and five!
>
> Both classes did terrific given the level of difficulty!!
>
>
>
>
> CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERY CLASS, STUDENT, AND SPONSORING
> EDUCATOR WHO TOOK THE CHALLENGE! THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING!
> CERTIFICATES WILL BE SENT TO EACH PARTICIPATING CLASS AND
> PRIZES AND AWARD CERTIFICATES WILL BE SENT TO THE SPONSORING
> EDUCATOR FOR THE WINNING CLASSES.
>
> Jan Wee, PTK Education Outreach Coordinator
>