Santa Fe Children's Museum interactive Sundial

The interactive sundial at the Santa Fe Children's Museum has inspired and delighted scores of chilren and families. This sundial at the Santa Fe Children's Museum is created with cement, flagstone, tiles and stone. It is made to be durable and withstand the elements. Note that you stand on the present month for your body to cast an accurate shadow.

Our Aurora 7 interactive sundial will also have different months of the year to stand on. The angle of the sun changes over the course of the year, so in order to tell time accurately, first you have to know what month it is. That can be challenging for some youngsters! At least the month doesn't change too often, and by interacting with the sundial regularly, they will have a sense of the passage of months. Some children may use the words on the months to practice their alphabet and reading skills. Older students can note the change in the angle and sort the different months into seasons.

Awesome Parent Volunteers

Parents Molly and Robin helped kids paint tiles last spring in the HP classroom. They were among the incredibly helpful volunteers, and some of the only ones I have pictures of!

Robyn making tiles at Aurora 7

Here I am, making tiles with the kids at Auora 7. Every kid from every class in both High Peals and BCSIS made tiles last year. You may have guessed that I am a BCSIS parent if you look closely at my t-shirt.

Interactive Sundial

There are three things needed for a sundial. First, you need the SUN. Then you need the thing that will cast a shadow, the gnomen. Then, you need a surface upon which the shadow will be cast and measured.
Most sundials have a fixed thing which casts the shadow. However, an interactive sundial uses the human body as the shadow-casting element. One stands on a certain spot on the sundial, and one's shadow falls on the number indicating the time of day.
Interactive sundials are a fun teaching tool for kids. There are interactive sundials at the Chidren's Museum of Santa Fe http://www.santafechildrensmuseum.org/index.html and at the Brooklyn Childrens' Museum. http://www.robertadzema.com/Public-Commisions/Brooklyn-Children%27s-Museum.jpg.php