You can make your own sundial very easily. First, you need to scout out a good spot for it. It should be outside, in a location that is lit all day long. Pick your spot, then check it several times during the day to make sure that it is never in shadow from a nearby building, tree, or other large object. The spot should also be somewhere that your sundial won't be disturbed.
When you're ready to make the sundial, take a sheet of white paper and draw a circle about 8" in diameter on it. You might be able to trace around a plate or bowl to draw a nice circle. Place it in your chosen spot. Put a wad of clay or chewing gum in the middle of the circle, then stick an unsharpened pencil or other straight stick into the wad. Make sure that it stands up straight, and doesn't fall over. You should see the shadow of the stick. Make a mark on the circle where you see the shadow, and write the time next to the mark. Come back in another hour or so - the shadow will have moved! Mark the time again. Keep doing this until it gets too dark to see the shadow. Leave the sundial in the same location, and check back the next day at about the same times to see if the shadow is in the same place. How could you use this sundial to tell time? What are some of the problems with a sundial? (Some hints - Does it work at night? Does it work on cloudy days?)
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