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PROJECT ERATOSTHENES

PRIMARY SCHOOL PARADISE A

CLASSES IVA-IVB

MARINA DI CARRARA

Teachers: Silvia Figaia-Tarabella Elena-Cinzia Vrenna

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Why it is important to observe the shades of the Sun?

The observation of shades of the sun allows to experiment the dynamic angle and understand very difficult astronomic concepts.

Phases of the project:

1 )Construction of the gnomon

Pupils have planned and built the gnomon, a tool to observe and measure the shades of the Sun.

2 ) Hypothesis:

How will be the shade at midday?

Some pupils answer “longer", others answer " shorter "

Which will be the correct answer?

Let’s discover it together.

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We start measuring

the shades

of the Sun

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Measure and trace the shade of the hours

9:00

10:0

11:00

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Shades form a fan.

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Do you know why ?

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Measure and trace the shade of the hours

12:00

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The shade of the Sun is “the shortest”

Do you know why ?

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With our observations we have noticed that:

• When the Sun is more next to the horizon the shade is longer, when the shade is taller it is shorter.

• The shortest shades that we have noticed are those marked among her 12.20 and her 12.40. beginning from the observation of March 31 the shortest shade has been that of the 13.25, that is with one hour of delay having gone into effect the legal time

Thank you for the attention.