Type of Web activity:
Materials / Software
The Web Science Workshop lessons were created in cooperation with the Exploratorium Teacher Institute.
3601 Lyon St.
If it is morning, the sun is basically in the east. If it is afternoon, the sun is basically in the west. Put your right side towards the east, and your left side towards the west, and you are facing north. If you're still not sure, try this: put a stick in the ground someplace sunny, sticking straight up. Mark the exact end of the shadow of your stick. Go away for an hour or so. Come back and mark the exact end of where the shadow is now. Put your left foot on the original mark, and your right foot on the new mark. You're facing north.
Another cool trick, if you have an analog watch:
What if it is cloudy? Or dark? If there are stars visible, you can learn to find the North Star (in the northern hemisphere) or the Southern Cross (in the southern hemisphere). But otherwise, you might want to have a compass.
Why? Try this exercise to see what happens to magnets here on earth if they are allowed to swing freely.
You can MAKE YOUR OWN COMPASS, which will be at least pretty accurate. You'll need a needle, a fairly strong magnet (most refrigerator magnets are good enough), and a long thread.
Before you can play, you'll need to learn how long your own pace is. Measure and draw a chalk line 20 feet long (or lay a long tape measure down, and mark the beginning and the 20-foot mark). Now walk along the line at a normal pace, counting your steps. When you get to the end, divide the number of inches in 20 feet by the number of steps you took. That number will be the number of inches in your average pace.
Now get your compass, your calculator, and a partner.
Each person will:
Remember, neither the paces nor the compasses are exactly accurate, so look around a little when you get to where you think you're supposed to be.