What it shows
Time passes in hours, and we can show our day as parts on a clock. This helps us plan our time and see how long each task takes.
The science
A day has 24 hours. A clock face shows 12, so we make one for the a.m. hours and one for the p.m. hours. Each activity takes a part of the clock. Seeing the parts helps us compare how much time we spend on school, play, sleep and meals, and plan better.
Materials
Cost: free. Many items come from home or from waste; spare parts such as LEDs, motors and wire are in the store.
- A big sheet of paper or a paper plate
- Coloured pens or crayons
- A ruler and pencil
- A watch or a wall clock
- A parent to help
Safety
For this project: No special safety.
Never use mains electricity: power models with cells, batteries or a low-voltage adapter. Sharp and hot tools, flames and lab chemicals need an adult or your teacher beside you. Keep magnets, button cells and small parts away from young children, and wash your hands after making.
Step by step
8 steps. Do them in order, and test each part before you go on to the next. Write what you notice in a notebook as you go.
Draw two big circles and mark twelve numbers around each like a clock.
Label one “a.m., midnight to noon” and the other “p.m., noon to midnight”.
Make a list of what you do through the whole day, including sleep, with times.
Colour the a.m. clock from midnight to noon, in the colour for each job.
Colour the p.m. clock from noon to midnight in the same way.
Make a colour key: green for school, yellow for play, blue for sleep, red for meals.
Find which job takes the most time in your day.
Talk with a parent about making more time for reading or play.
What you should see
Two coloured clock charts show how your day is spent, and you can say how long each job takes.
Viva questions
A teacher or a judge will ask how it works. Try to answer each question before you open it, then compare.
01How many hours are in a day?
Twenty four.
02Which task takes most of your time?
Read from your chart, often sleep or school.
03Why make a time chart?
To plan the day and not waste time.
04Which hours does the a.m. clock cover?
From midnight to noon. The p.m. clock covers noon to midnight.
Take it further
Make a weekend chart and compare it with the school day.
Change one thing, measure what happens, and add a table or chart of your readings: that is what turns a model into your own investigation.
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