READY,
SET, GO!

To help keep track of time, Romans used a device called a clepsydra, or water clock. Make your own water clock using these simple instructions.

STEP 1

Using the scissors with parental supervision, cut the water bottle into two pieces. The top half should be shorter than the bottom half.

STEP 2

Take the awl or other sharp tool to make a very small hole in the top of the bottle cap.
Second Option:
If you don’t have a tool to cut a small enough hole in the bottle cap, you can use a plastic cup instead. Just use a sewing needle to poke a small hole in the bottom of the cup.

STEP 3

Put the bottle cap onto the top of the bottle and flip the top part of the bottle inside the lower part. There should be several inches of space between the bottle cap and the bottom of the bottle.

STEP 4

With your timer ready, pour water into the top portion of the bottle and time how many drops fall in one minute. Make a mark on the lower half of the bottle where the water level is at one minute.
Mark where the water is at two, three, four, and five minutes as well.

STEP 5

Once you’ve marked the water levels up until the five minute mark, you are now ready to use your water clock! See if you can clean your room in five minutes or how fast you can count in one minute using your cool new timer.