2008 is a Leap Year. This means there are 29 days in February,
and 366 days in the year.
Explain the math and science behind Leap Year to your class!

Links

Time and Date.com - Leap Years
Science World
Leap Year Calendar
Leap Year Traditions
Who Invented Leap Year?

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Lesson Plans

A Walk Through Time - This lesson looks at the evolution of timekeeping -- how humans have measured the passage of time throughout history. The site describes and shows depictions of ancient calendars, sun and water clocks, mechanical and quartz clocks, and world time scales and time zones.

A Science Odyssey - Physics and Astronomy: Mysteries of the Universe
This set of activities centers around physical science and the perception of science in mainstream society. Students complete activities designed to foster understanding of the speed of light and the scale of distance and proportion in the solar system.

Spaced Out! -- How far away is the Earth from the Sun? Our solar system, like many things, has patterns.

Star Gazer -- How do scientists calculate the distance between the stars? Use this lesson plan to explore the technology that modern astronomers use to study the night sky, specifically the Hubble Space telescope, and have your students create a PowerPoint

StarChild: A Learning Center for Young Astronomers helps elementary school students learn about the sun and moon, planets, the asteroid belt, meteoroids and comets, astronauts and space suits, space travel and space probes, the Hubble space telescope, the Columbia accident, galaxies, the Milky Way, stars, quasars, black holes, cosmology, and dark matter.

Ask an Astronomer for Kids -- provides answers and photos for 200 common questions about astronomy and objects in space. Topics include planets, stars, the solar system, comets, asteroids, galaxies, and the night sky.

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