Posted by Rockwood Area High School on Sunday, 20 December 1998, at 6:01 p.m.
From Rockwood Area High School, Rockwood, PA, USA, Latitude: 39.9738N
We grouped the data we received into six groups from which we created two graphs each: Temperature v latitude, Sunlight v Latitude. Then we analyzed the graphs, checking for trends, similarities, differences.
These are our findings/comments.
1. The closer to the equator, the warmer the temperature. But summer and winter are opposite for the northern and southern hemispheres.
2. We, Rockwood, had an unnaturally warm week. In fact, we set record high temperatures.
3. Re: sunlight. We noticed the farther from the equator, the less sunlight an area receives. Conversely, the closer to the equator, the more sunlight an area receives. Currently, the southern hemisphere has more sunlight than the northern hemisphere due to the tilting of the earth's axis. We realized that when the northern hemishpere has its winter solstice, the southern hemishpere has its summer solstice.
4. We wondered how areas with approximately the same latitude and hemisphere have approximately 370 more minutes of daylight than us. So we double checked our math.
5. We noticed some schools posted latitude in degrees and minutes. We had thought of doing that, but did not. Now we wish we had because it looks so much more professional.
6. We did not realize so much math was involved in social studies.
We really enjoyed participating in the Sun Temperature Project. It was fun reading emails from schools in countries we studies in World Geography last year. We have your emails posted so everyone can read about all the different schools. We also have all our a main copy of our graphs posted so all can compare areas around the world.
Bye from Rockwood