Leap+Year

== =**2016 - It's A Leap Year!**=

**[[image:bupurple.jpg]] Why?**

 * A year normally has 365 days, but a leap year has 366. We have leap years to adjust our calendar so that the seasons (spring, summer, fall, winter) occur at the same time.**


 * The //actual// length of a year (the rotation of earth around the sun) is 365.2422 days. If we didn't have leap years, the seasons would shift about a quarter of a day every year, and after 100 years the seasons would be off by 25 days. The extra leap day adjusts this drift. ([|//Old Farmer's Almanac//)]**


 * Years that are divisible by 4 are leap years.**


 * //The Exception//: Century years have to be divisible by 400 to be a leap year.**


 * 1500 - 1700 - 1900 - 2100 are //not// leap years** *** 1600 - 2000 - 2400 are leap years**
 * //([|Time and Date])//**

**Website Resources:**

 * [|7 Ways to Celebrate Leap Day]**

[[image:bupurple.jpg]] Celebrate "Leap Day"!

 * How many of your school's students were born on Leap Day?**


 * Analyze and interpret the data!**


 * Make your own Excel chart to graph and answer the questions!**

[[image:bupink.jpg]] __How many leap years have there been since you were born?__
Example: 2004 -2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2008 - 2009 - 2010 - 2011 - 2012 - 2013 - 2014 - 2015 - 2016
 * Write down the year you were born and each following year including 2004.


 * Draw a circle around the ones that are divisible by 4.
 * How many did you circle? This is your age in "Leap Years"!
 * Check your answer: [|Online Conversion]

[[image:bupink.jpg]] __Measure and Read Graphs!__
How far can you leap? How far can your classmates leap? //A leap is a short run. You take off from one foot and land on the other. It's very dance-like (ballet).// //A jump is stationary. You jump up from two feet and land on two feet. ......T. Long, PE Teacher//
 * Find a place to leap and measure the distance.
 * Make an //Excel// graph showing the results of your class or group of friends!
 * Measure to the closest inch and convert your inches to yards.

[[image:bupink.jpg]] __Practice Alliteration!__
Write sentences that contain words that start with the letter “L” and also include a form of the word "leap" (leaping, leaped, leaper, etc.).
 * Examples: || * Leapers love little lakes.
 * Little lizards leap long lengths.
 * Large llamas like leaping.
 * Leaping liars like loopholes.
 * Lonely leapers love lush lights that leak luminescence. ||

[[image:bupink.jpg]] __Who will celebrate "Leap Day" first?__
(//[|International Dateline Map]//) ([|Asia Map]) (//[|Time Zone Map]//)
 * Use maps to find the geographic location that will celebrate "Leap Day" first.
 * Name a country in that area.

[[image:bupink.jpg]]
//It’s My Birthday…Finally! by Michelle W. Winfrey is another interesting choice.//
 * When do "Leap Day Babies" celebrate their birthday?
 * Why?
 * Check out other books from the library about Leap Year and enjoy reading!

[[image:bupink.jpg]] __Survey your class, your school, and/or your neighborhood.__
How many people can you find that were born on a "Leap Day" - February 29th?


 * Interview them and record one interesting comment they tell you about having a "Leap Day" birthday.
 * Record their age in "Leap Years" and "Actual Years"
 * Make your own Excel chart to graph and answer the questions!

[[image:bupink.jpg]] __Name at least 5 animals that leap (or jump).__
Choose one of those animals and write a descriptive paragraph about what they are leaping over or why they are leaping!

[[image:bupink.jpg]]__Write down the step-by-step directions for playing leapfrog!__
Follow your directions and play the game with your friends!

[[image:bupink.jpg]] __How many words can you rhyme with "leap"?__
Do this with a friend. See who can write the most words that rhyme with "leap"or the most unique! You can use the "rapid fire" option in //Inspiration// to record your rhyming words.

[[image:bupink.jpg]] __Write Leap Year Poetry!__
[|Mother Goose Rhyme] [|Leap Year Poems] - [|Cut Apart Poems - Leap Year]
 * Read examples of Leap Year Poetry and write one of your own! Share!

[[image:bupink.jpg]]__A year has 365.25 days - the time it takes the earth to revolve around the sun.__

 * .25 is equivalent to what fraction?
 * How many of those fractions make 1 whole day?

[[image:bupink.jpg]] __Sometimes, February has 5 Sundays because "Leap Day", February 29, is on a Sunday!__

 * When was the last date that happened?
 * Approximately how often does February have 5 Sundays?
 * Does February have 5 Sundays this year (2016)?
 * What year will it happen again?

**Read more details about Leap Year!**

 * [|World of Astronomy]**

[[image:bugreen.jpg]]
=Celebrate "Leap Day" - Do Something Special!=

=You won't have another chance for ? more years?=

Graphics: [|IconBazaar]

__GO LOONEY!__ __Is there a "Blue Moon" during this Leap Year (2016)?__

 * (//[|Blue Moon Calculator]//)**

Research and learn information about "Blue Moons".

There are 2 contrasting explanations for when a "Blue Moon" occurs!

([|"Blue Moon"]) (//[|Sky & Telescope]//) (//Maine Farmers' Almanac: [|Four full moons in a season]//)

//1. The modern definition uses the term Blue Moon to mean the second Full Moon in a single calendar month. Using this definition, February is the only month that never has a Blue Moon because the average interval between Full Moons is about 29.5 days. This interval is always greater than the length of February, even in a leap year.) ([|Blue Moon Frequency])//

//2. The older, traditional definition of a Blue Moon (////Maine Farmers' Almanac//) //uses the term to mean the third Full Moon in a season which has four Full Moons. Normally a season has three full moons. Using this definition, February occasionally does have a Blue Moon! ([|Four full moons]//)


 * How many leap years during the past 100 years have had a "Blue Moon"?**

(a.) Write down the years that were leap years since 1900. Make a table to record your information - use both "Blue Moon" definitions and compare! ([|Online Conversion])

(b.) Draw a circle around the ones that have a "Blue Moon"? (//[|Phases of the Moon]//) (//Maine Farmers' Almanac: [|Four full moons in a season]//)

(c.) How many leap years had a Blue Moon? Which years? //([|Double Blue Moons])// (//[|List]//) Was it a Leap Year? //([|Double Blue Moons])// (//[|List]//) Is it a Leap Year? //([|Double Blue Moons])//
 * Leap Years since 1900 || "Modern" Blue Moon Definition || Maine Farmers' Almanac ||
 * 1904 || yes (Mar. 31) || no ||
 * When was the last year that had 2 "Blue Moons"?
 * When was the last year that had 2 "Blue Moons"?
 * When was the last year that had 2 "Blue Moons"?
 * When is the next year that will have 2 "Blue Moons"?
 * How often does a double blue moon occur?