Build a Sundial

How did people tell time before clocks? Go back in “time” by making your own sundial!

Find the center of the paper plate using a ruler or estimating it. Poke a hole in it that will be big enough for the pencil to fit through.
Hot glue the pencil to the middle of the piece of cardboard (or secure it with putty), eraser side down. Hold it in place until the glue dries to ensure that it will stick straight up.
Push the paper plate over the pencil and all the way down so that it is pressed against the cardboard.
Your sundial is ready to test! Take it outside and tape it to a flat, sunny surface. Choose a place that will be in the sun for most of the day.
On the next hour, go to your sundial and check the shadow of the pencil. Write the numeral matching the time (4 for 4:00) in the shadow of the pencil.
Repeat every whole hour to finish your sundial.
Now you are ready to use your sundial to tell time!

Look at your sundial on half hours or quarter hours. How can you tell it is, for example, 8:30? Is the shadow halfway between the 8 and the 9 marks?
Try looking at your sundial at the same time in the AM and PM, like 6:00 in the morning and 6:00 in the evening. What do you notice?
How do you think the seasons affect your sundial? Will the sundial work in all types of weather? What does it need to be able to work?