Ancient Sun Observations

In this activity, learners make their own Sun tracker to explore how ancient civilizations around the world studied the Sun. After creating the tracker with simple materials, learners measure the resulting shadow daily or weekly at the exact same time each day to examine the position of the Sun over time. Step-by-step instructions are included with photos. This activity needs a sunny day. Activity guide includes a "What's going on?" explanation and connections to relevant science concepts like the Earth's tilt, long and short shadows, and changes in sunset & sunrise positions over time, with helpful diagrams. Cultural connections to the Sun from past civilizations are also included.