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GUIDELINES FOR PROJECT #2: THE SUMMER SOLSTICE

 

I. Background Information

 

image source: http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/the_universe/uts/images/seasons_nasa_jpg_image.html

 

 

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word.

 

For thousands of years, people around the world have used observations of the sky to keep track of the time of year. Four major events mark the beginning of the four seasons. The ________________ equinox marks the beginning of SPRING. The _______________ solstice marks the beginning of SUMMER. The _______________ equinox marks the beginning of FALL. Finally, the _________________ solstice marks the beginning of WINTER.

 

The summer solstice marks the LONGEST DAY of the year in the _____________ hemisphere. The winter solstice, which occurs around December 21^st, marks the LONGEST DAY of the year in the _______________ hemisphere. The date of the first day of summer in Los Angeles this year is June ____st.

 

What two factors cause the arrival of summer in Los Angeles?

1)                                                                                                                                                       

2)                                                                                                                                                       

 

 

As we have discussed in class, the summer solstice is approaching. One really cool aspect of being on a “B Track schedule” is that we may RESEARCH, UNDERSTAND, and CELEBRATE the importance of the summer solstice in cultures around the world. Here’s how we will do this…

 

For this assignment you will work with a group of your classmates to research, report and model OR demonstrate the ways in which ancient cultures mark the summer solstice.

 

II. Your assignment

 

1. WHO: You and ALL of your group members
2. WHAT: Research, Report, and Demonstrate or Model a summer solstice celebration or tradition.
3. WHEN: Due Date: June 21, 2005
4. WHERE: Room B-6 at Pio Pico Middle School
5. WHY:
1. To understand how culture and science are related with one another.
2. To explain the factors that cause the cycle of the seasons.
3. To define “solstice”.
6. HOW:
1. READ: Read and save this handout from Ms. Holl
2. RESEARCH: Go to the library and take notes from books and the Internet. (NOTE: In order to do research on the library computers, you must turn in to the librarian a “blue form” signed by your parents.)
3. REPORT: Write a THREE-PAGE TYPE-WRITTEN REPORT with the following information:

                                                              i.      Define and illustrate “solstice”

                                                            ii.      Draw a map of the country or region that you are researching

                                                          iii.      Explain the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY and HOW of the summer solstice traditions, practices, rituals, or celebrations of the people(s) of your country or region.

                                                         iv.      Attach a bibliography with at least FIVE REFERENCES you used in your research.

4. PRESENT:

                                                              i.      OPTION 1: DEMONSTRATION – You and your group members may produce a short skit (5 minutes or less) showing the rest of the class how the people celebrated the summer solstice. You must provide an explanation or summary of the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, and HOW of the celebration before, during, or after the skit.

                                                            ii.      OPTION 2: MODEL – You and your group members may construct a model or diorama of a structure built to measure, monitor, celebrate, or recognize the position of the sun in the sky during the summer solstice. An example of such a structure would be an Incan “sundial” or “Stonehenge” built by ancient peoples of the British Isles (England, Scotland, and Ireland).

                                                          iii.      REGARDLESS OF THE OPTION YOU CHOOSE, ALL GROUP MEMBERS MUST EQUALLY PARTICIPATE AND CONTRIBUTE.

5. EVALUATE:

                                                              i.      As with the “Planet Rap” project, you will evaluate and grade yourself and each of your group members on a scale of 1 to 4.

                                                            ii.      I will evaluate and grade your group based on the Solstice Project Grading Rubric and your written evaluations.

 

III. Group assignments

 

	British Isles  (England, Ireland, Scotland)	Scandinavia (Germany,  Netherlands)	China	Egypt (Northern Africa)	Mayan Indians	Native Americans (U.S.A.)	Inca Indians
1	SOFIA ROXANA EDITH SARA		CLAUDIA SANDRA MARILYN JENNIFER E.	FABIOLA SHEYLA MAURICIO ARMANDO	CARLOS ALBERTO D’ANGELO KEITH	PABLO LUIS KHDIER EDVIN ELIEL	MIGUEL MARCELO CHELLEVON JENNIFER T.
3		NISHA JEANETTE GABY MICHELLE	DEYBI PATRICK ANDRES STEVE	TIFFANY STEPHANIE ELIZABETH CINDY	JOSE LUIS BRANDON JIMMY GEORGE	HERLINDA VANESSA KARINA SEQUOIA	DANNY KELVIN RICARDO JUAN
4	ZAIDA JESSICA DIANA CARINA		CLAUDIA JASMINE JENNY EDITH	BRADFORD JONATHAN MARCO EMMANUEL	DANIEL JUAN IRVIN JORGE	JEFFREY ERICK YESENIA VANESSA	MARIA CARMEN MIRIAM MELISSA
6	JESUS JOSE JELMER enrique RODRIGO	MICHELLE SARAI NANCY CYNTHIA		Aracely catherine claudia JANETTE VANESSA	OSVALDO LUIS JORGE LAWRENCE	CARLTON JASYNTHA MARVIN ARTURO	DAISY ROXANA REINA ADEZE KATHERINE

 

IV. Solstice Project Grading Rubric

 

 

Collaborative Work Skills : Solstice Celebration

 

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Quality of Work	Work is original and imaginative. Presentation and written report address the questions: WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, AND HOW.	Presentation and written report address the questions: WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, AND HOW.	Presentation and written report address at least 4 of the following questions: WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, AND HOW.	Presentation and written report do not completely address the questions: WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, AND HOW. Model is poorly constructed or incomplete.
Contributions	All of the group members worked together to contribute to research, report, and produce a skit or model. All of the group members actively participated in the oral presentation.	Most of the group members worked together to contribute to research, report, and produce a skit or model. Most of the group members actively participated in the oral presentation.	Less than half of the group members worked together to contribute to research, report, and produce a skit or model. Less than half of the group members actively participated in the oral presentation.	Only one of the group members worked to research, report, and produce a skit or model. Only one of the group members actively participated in the oral presentation.
Written work	Report is three pages, double-spaced. Report is type-written, spell-checked, and uses proper grammer and punctuation. Bibliography lists 5 references.	Report is three pages, double-spaced. Report is type-written with less than a combined total of 10 spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Bibliography lists 5 references.	Report is three pages, double-spaced. Report is type-written with more than a combined total of 10 spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Bibliography lists at least 3 references.	Report is less than three pages, double-spaced. Report is type-written with more than a combined total of 10 spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. No bibliography or bibliography lists less than 3 references.
Research	Group members utilized the class text, the Internet, the library, posters, magazines, experts, and other resources.	Group members utilized the class text, the Internet, the library, posters, magazines, experts, and other resources.	Group members utilized the class text, the Internet, the library, posters, magazines, experts, and other resources.	Group members did very little, if any, research to find factual information.