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Make a Sundial

Materials

  1. 12" x 12" piece of heavy cardboard
  2. Block of wood
  3. Thumbtacks
  4. Markers or paint

Directions

An ancient way to tell time was to use the sun and the shadows it casts. First, take the heavy cardboard and fold it corner to corner. Then cut the card in half. Fold a half-inch wide flap on the bottom of one card. Cut a twelve-inch circle out of the other piece of cardboard. Center the circle of cardboard over the block of wood and then put the triangle card on top of the circle. Attach the card to the circle of cardboard, pushing the thumbtacks through both pieces of cardboard into the wooden block. Make sure the triangle is straight up and down so it looks like a shark's fin sticking out of the circle. Place the sundial on a flat surface in the sun. Every hour, mark off where the shadow is cast. Using paint, markers, or crayons, decorate your sundial. Remember to keep the sundial facing the same direction so that your hour marks will be accurate.

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From 365 Days of Creative Play by Sheila Ellison & Judith Gray. Copyright © 2005 by Sheila Ellison & Judith Gray. All rights reserved. Used by arrangement with Sourcebooks, Inc.

Buy the book at www.amazon.com.


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