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Introduction Task Process Evaluation Conclusion

 

Mrs. Heller's Science Class Presents

Horology and the making of time keeping devices

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction

What is time? Time is one of the world's deepest mysteries. No one can say exactly what it is, yet, the ability to measure time makes our way of life possible.

We sense the passage of time in our personal experience and observe it in the world around us. We think, feel, and act in the flow of time.

Einstein said, "Space and time are modes by which we think, not conditions under which we live." Time--the time that we know through clocks and calendars--was invented.

The measurement of time is an ancient science, though many of its discoveries are relatively recent.

We will  explore the reasons for time keeping and some of the types of instruments used to record time.

Task

Your group is going to design and build an accurate time keeping device.

Your group will construct a sand or a water clock that must keep accurate time for 15 minutes.

Your group will do a short research report and will create a time line poster on horology.

 To complete your task, you must first research the history of your selected time piece, its design and be able to explain how it works. Discuss how accurate it was for its time period. Your group will then have to design and build a model of a similar type of time keeping device. Be creative! For example if your group is assigned a sand clock -you do not have to use sand- you can choose to use another type of materials such a rice, skittles, salt, sugar, marbles, etc. The importance of the model is that it keep accurate time. Please use the websites and printed materials provided for your research.

Process

1.Get into groups of 4 people and choose the type of time piece they will be researching and building a model of.

2. Assign roles for each of your group members- for example one person can collect images while another draws the outline for the time line.

3. There will be 12 research questions to look up -divide the questions up among the group members (3 each).

4. We will be using the science classroom to work and we should alternate the use of the 5 classroom computers and the encyclopedias while others draw the plans for the model and choose the materials to be used.

5. You must complete the following tasks:

a) construct a time line on horology

b) draw and submit plans for the clock

c) complete research report on history of time keeping

d) construct a model of a clock

e) present your time line and clock model to the class for evaluation

Use the following websites for your research. http://www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/HisTopics/Time_1.html http://physics.nist.gov/GenInt/Time/early.html http://www.beaglesoft.com/index.htm http://physics.nist.gov/GenInt/Time/time.html http://www.childrensmuseum.org/themuseum/waterclock.htm E:\Water clock - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.htm http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/timekeeping.php http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_time_measurement_technology"
 

Evaluation

Teacher will test the accuracy of the clock using a watch with a minute and second hand -remember your clock must measure 15 minutes.

The written report, time line and the clock will be evaluated by the teacher using rubrics (Rubistar #1397478)

Conclusion

You learned how to build an accurate time keeping device.

You learned how astronomy and time are connected to each other. How the movement of the Earth on its axis and its position to the sun created a pattern of years, seasons, months and days. Man's need to record time began in the past with agriculture to modern time keeping used in work, school, television, radio and the scheduling of  most of life's events.

You learned about horology and the history of time keeping- why clocks were invented and how they work.

Rubric Made Using: RubiStar ( http://rubistar.4teachers.org )