Build a Sundial

Design a structure that shows how shadows change through the day, and read it.

Warm-up, learn, try it together, practice, then a quick check. About 15 minutes.

What children learn in Level 13

Long ago, people told time with shadows! A sundial has a stick in the middle. The stick's shadow points to the hour.
As the sun moves across the sky, the shadow moves around the dial. At midday, it points to 12.
In the afternoon, the shadow keeps moving. Now it points to 3.
A sundial needs sunshine. It doesn't work at night, in the shade, or on a cloudy day.
Your turn! Put the steps for making a sundial in order.
Try it with a grown-up! Make a paper plate sundial. Mark the shadow every hour on a sunny day. The next sunny day, can you tell the time with it?

Georgia Standards of Excellence in Science:

S2E2.b — Design and build a structure that demonstrates how shadows change throughout the day.