Pipehenge: Poor Man’s Stonehenge

Description:  Pipehenge is a daytime astronomy device that can be used to determine patterns in the movement of our Sun and moon.  Pipehenge can be built using plastic pipes so that it is moveable or a permanent "climbable" structure.  According to the makers of this device, students can study astronomy during the day and internalize a model that they can use while observing the night sky.  Secondary students could build a device that could be used with elementary students in the same school district.

Web Resource:  Pipehenge (link currently missing). Still looking for source.

How Do Sundials Work?

Description:  The simplest sundial consists of two parts: a flat plate and a gnomon (or stick) that casts a shadow on the plate. When the sundial is properly aligned it will tell the local solar time. This may have to be adjusted to find national clock time due to longitude, season, and daylight savings time. Students can build their own sundial by tracing the shadow on paper (or in the dirt) at different times of the day.

Web Resources:  Sundials - Wikipedia, How Do Sundials Work? - Yale Scientific