In the Time module, for example, students learn to measure time by observing shadows outdoors. Each child makes his or her own wrist sundial from cardboard and two small squares of Velcro. Kids love to show them to their families, and that often gets their parents involved. They grasp the concepts involved much better than if the teacher just speaks to them or demonstrates a sundial. A sundial works only in a limited range of latitudes and is useless on cloudy days, so students follow history and make water clocks.
Students also learn how to keep time with the help of the regular motion of a pendulum.
Galileo first noted this possibility when he timed a swinging chandelier by using his pulse. I module that debuts this month also takes advantage of shadows to show how Earth's position changes relative to the sun. A flashlight beam shown through a hole in the box simulates the sun. Even if the boxes must be re-used, children can still take them home and get their parents involved. In this program, kids do assignments with them at home and parents get involved.