The shadow the sun casts on the sundial moves in a clockwise direction, much like the hands of a clock.
WHAT YOU NEED
- 1 lid from a 48.7 oz. NESTLÉ NESQUIK canister
- 1 container of art plaster
- 1 sheet of white craft foam
- Safety scissors
- Colored markers
- Gold marker pen
- Craft glue
HOW TO DO IT
- Print out the sundial template.
- Use the template to trace the sundial triangle onto poster board.
- Paint the triangle with the gold marker pen.
- To form the round sundial disk, mix 1 1/2 parts plaster to 1 part cold water in a disposable container. Stir slowly until it is about as think as pancake batter.
- Pour the mixture into the NESQUIK lid. The average setting time is 20 to 30 minutes.
- After the plaster has set for 5 minutes, place the triangle into the plaster with the 90 degree angle of the triangle in the center, facing outward towards the edge of the sundial.
- Allow the plaster to dry over night, making sure that it is completely dry to the touch.
- Use the template to trace the sun decoration onto the craft foam.
- Use markers to color the sun and give it a "happy face."
- Glue the craft foam sun onto the face of the sundial.
- Place your sundial in a garden spot that will be sunny all day.
- Early in the morning, begin marking the time of day on the shadow line that the triangle casts.
- Return every hour and mark the time of day at the shadow line using the gold marker pen.
- If you keep your sundial in the same spot, you will always know what time it is on sunny days!
TIPS
- Right after you have poured the art plaster into the NESQUIK lid, move the filled lid back and forth several times. This will help settle the plaster and give the face a smooth finish.
FOLLOW UP FUN
- Talk to your children about the history of the sundial.
How a Sundial Works
Have you ever wondered how people measured the time of day before the invention of mechanical clocks? Since ancient times, people have used sundials to measure the day from sunrise to sunset. In fact, sundials are the basis for our modern clocks and watches. Essentially, a sundial is an instrument that uses the position of the shadow of a pointer, cast by the sun, to indicate the time. The sundial's pointer (normally a pin or a triangle shape) is called a gnomon ("No-Mon"), which is an ancient Greek word meaning "one who knows." When the sun strikes the gnomon, its shadow falls on the face of the sundial, called the index. The position of the shadow, which moves around the sundial in a clockwise motion during the day, indicates the time with precise accuracy. Sundials may be small enough for a person to carry and use, like we use wristwatches today. Or, they may be huge in scale, like the giant sundial built in Jaipur, India in 1742. The gnomon of the Jaipur sundial is over one hundred feet high, and the entire sundial extends over an acre!
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