Clifford's+LEAP+YEAR

October 17, 2014 Dear Ms. Falcone's class,

Clifford's birthday is February 29th. It is not on the calendar this year. It is on the calendar when we are in 1st grade, 5th grade, 9th grade, and college. Do you know why he does not get a birthday every year?

Ms. Wilson's class

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Our noticings and ponderings:


 * Is the extra day called LEAP DAY?
 * How did ancient civilizations such as Mayans (who invented the calendar?) address Leap Year?
 * adds one day on to February every four years
 * Earth’s orbit of the sun is irregular +/- 365 days
 * Why?
 * Why February?

> > Why every four years?
 * Why is it called Leap Year?
 * Who invented it?
 * Who founded Leap Year?
 * How long have people been keeping track of this?
 * What is effecting the Earth’s orbit to make it irregular or catywompus?
 * What was the first recorded leap year?
 * Does it throw off people’s (like Clifford) personal records?
 * How long has it been called Leap Year?
 * Is it exact?
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Will it ever change?
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Could (climate change) the melting of the polar ice caps/rising ocean levels affect the orbit of the Earth, and ultimately - Leap Years?
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Would it affect us if we did not record Leap Years?


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One year is EXACTLY 365 days and 6 hours per year - is this the 24 hours that is logged as the EXTRA DAY?
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I’m wondering how we do not notice the 6 extra hours?
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">How many seconds or minutes extra is that per day?
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Wouldn’t it be smarter to make every single day 24 hours and so many seconds?