Name:______Block:______

Honors - Tides and Moon Phases Graphs and Conclusion

This assignment will be due at the end of class 12/18. If you are absent due to travel, it is due upon your return.

RECORD THE ASSIGNED MONTH AND YEAR ______

Students will:

  1. Research and compile tide data for a one-month period for Pensacola, Florida, Anchorage, Alaska, and Portland, Maine.
  2. Create continuous tide charts for each location.
  3. Find and print maps of each tidal basin.
  4. Research and compile moon phase data for the one-month period that tidal data was compiled.
  5. Overlay moon phase data with tide data in order to attempt to recognize a pattern/relationship between phases, tides, and tidal basins.

Directions: You will need to create a tide chart for three locations: Pensacola, Florida, Anchorage, Alaska, and Portland, Maine. You will then need to research and compile moon phase data for the one-month period that tidal data was compiled. Lastly, overlay moon phase data with tide data in order to attempt to recognize a pattern/relationship between phases, tides, and tidal basins.

Procedure:

Part 1

1. Open ‘Tide Data’ Excel Spreadsheet located on Mrs. Wolfe’s website.

2. Copy and paste the data from each location for the month you have been assigned into a blank excel spreadsheet.

3. Select the data from Pensacola and create a graph. You decide which type of graph is best for this data. Remember, bar graphs are for discreet or categorical data while line graphs are relationships or over time.

4. Right click on vertical axis numbers along left side of graph.

5. Click ‘Format Axis’

6. Under where it says “Horizontal Axis Crosses”, click on “Axis Value” and type in the lowest number displayed in your data on the vertical axis.

7. Right click on horizontal axis numbers along bottom of graph.

8. Click ‘Format Axis’

9. Click on “Specify Unit Interval” and type in the number 12.

10. Uncheck box that says “Multi-level Category Labels”.

11. Click on“Layout”. Insert Title (above chart), Horizontal (choose below axis title), and Vertical Axis (rotated) labels. Don’t forget to include units.

12. Repeat with the other two locations. Save your graphs in Excel to your USB drive.

Part 2

1. Print out your graphs for each location after copying them into Word (use the landscape feature). Make the graph as big as the paper. Be sure to put your name in the header.

2. Using a pencil, neatlywrite in the dates that correspond with the times.

3. Go to the following website to find historical data of the moon phases:

4. Scroll down to the correct year for your data.

5. Find the date and time for each of the 4 main phases of the moon (new, first quarter, full, last quarter).

6. Draw in the phases of the moon onto the graph for each location. Make a key.

Part 3

  1. Find and print a map of all three locations so you will be able answer the conclusion questions. You should have three maps, one for each location.

Part 4 - Conclusion Questions- Questions must be typed and answered completely.

1. Is there a relationship between the phase of the moon and the level of the tides? Explain your answer using the data.

2. Is there a relationship between the shape of the tidal basin and the level of the tides? You will need to research the locations to determine the shape of the basin. Explain your answer using the data.

**REMINDER: Make sure you not only answer the question, but explain why you came to the conclusion that you did. You also need to make sure you use SPECIFIC examples from the data and the charts you created.

Rubric

Assignment / Point Value / Total points earned
3 tidal graphs with Moon phases. Correctly formatted and type of graph / 15
3 Maps, location identified / 5
Conclusion Question #1 – answered completely with data and examples / 5
Conclusion Question #2 – relationship to the shape of the basin and the tidal ranges explained completely using data. / 5
JAN 2011 / JULY2011
FEB 2011 / AUGUST2011
MARCH 2011 / SEPTEMBER2011
APRIL 2011 / OCTOBER2011
MAY2011 / NOVEMBER2011
JUNE2011 / DECEMBER2011
JAN 2012 / JUNE2012
FEB2012 / JULY2012
AUG2012
APRIL2012 / SEPT2012
MAY2012 / OCT2012