How To Make Your Own Sundial

Grade SixMrs. DeForge

Telling Time Throughout Historyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abog6ys7tDY

Instructions:• We need something for the shadows to fall on. Let's make

the face of the clock first.• Put your protractor one inch from the bottom of the

cardboard. Every 15 degrees, draw a small line (at 0 degrees, 15 degrees, 30 degrees and so on, just like in the picture below). Label the lines just like in the picture.

• Now, we need something to make the shadow. Stick your pencil straight up in the middle of your clock, like this:

Now, here's a tricky part. .. • The Earth is round, so unless your town is right on

the equator (an imaginary line that goes around the middle of the Earth), your town isn't really directly facing the sun. It's actually kind of tilted toward the sun.

• First you need to know the latitude (distance from the equator) of your city. Calgary is 51 degrees.

• Subtract 90 -51 degrees which equals 39 degrees.• Using your protractors, draw that angle on your

cardboard, and cut two wedges from one cardboard that have that angle

Tape or glue your wedges to the last piece of cardboard on one side and your clock cardboard on another.

• Now, all you have to do it set it up outside! Find out what time it is, and set your sundial so that the shadow falls on that time. (The best time to do this is noon, but any time works.) As the sun moves, the shadow moves, and it falls on the time!

What time did I take this picture???