Find a place at home to view the rising or setting sun. Make sure it is comfortable so that you can use it several days in a row without interruption. You will have to sit in the very same place every day. Decide whether you want to observe the rising or setting sun and continue your observations for a time period declared by your teacher. In this activity you should become aware of many conditions around you. Record your observations in your journal with detailed, complete sentences. Record the date,sunrise or sunset and the time each day you observe.

1. Describe the horizon in detail as you see it.

2. Are there trees, fields, buildings or other structures, hills, mountains, ocean or other bodies of water, telephone poles, bridges?

3. Where on the horizon is the sun rising/setting? Draw or write a description of where the sun is in relation to any landmarks near the horizon. Note the size of the diameter of the sun on the horizon.

4. Did the sun's location at rising/setting on the horizon change at all from the previous day? If so, record in what direction the position of the sun moved. Use the number of solar diameters to determine the distance of movement. For example, was it more or less than one solar diameter compared to the previous day.

5. Name the location where you are sitting. Is the area active, peaceful?

6. What sounds do you hear? What animals and birds are seen or heard?

7. How far do you think you can see? Is the visibility good or bad?

8. What is the rest of the sky like? What color is it? Are there clouds? What do they look like?

9. Is there any wind? From what direction is it blowing, using the eight compass directions?

10. Is the moon visible? What phase is it in? Where is it in relation to the horizon?

11. Are stars visible? Describe their brightness and color and relation to the horizon.

12. Draw the sunrise/sunset every day. Record the location of buildings, trees, telephone poles and other landmarks. Record the date and time on each drawing. Draw the moon and any stars and clouds that you observe. Your drawing should be a detailed recording of the scene.

13. If you have a still camera or video camera, photograph the sunrise/sunset every day (Be careful with the video camera. It is very light-sensitive and its CCD may be destroyed by too much light). If there is a date and time marker in the camera, use it to record this information each day. Create a day-to-day photographic record that would be suitable to share with students from other schools.