Name: _________________
Calendars
What are they REALLY?
We have had plenty of conversations already regarding Time and
what it means. We have made some huge strides in our learning to
this point, but we are definitely hungry for more. The object of the
following research assignment is to develop a sense of how people
throughout history have tried to capture the enigma, or mystery, of
Time. By understanding how calendars have been created in the past,
and learning about how they actually functioned we can gain a deeper understanding
of what time truly is.
Please save this question sheet in your ‘Inquiry’ folder and name it: Calendar
Research – YOUR NAME. All responses need to be written in sentence
form and look presentable when handed in. This assignment will be completed
electronically to save paper; so record your answers on this sheet and drop it
in your teacher’s dropbox when you are finished.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Calendar Types:
1. What is a calendar? Provide at least 3 different definitions of the concept.
2. Explain what a solar calendar is and how it functions? Provide two examples of a
historical and/or modern solar calendar and discuss something interesting you
learned about each of them.
3. Explain what a lunar calendar is and how it functions?
Provide two examples of a historical and/or modern lunar
calendar and discuss something interesting you learned
about each of them.
4. What is a synodic month? Why was the synodic month important to people who
based their calendar on this concept?
5. What is the equinox? When does it occur during our year?
6. How might the equinox affect calendars?
7. What is the solstice? When does it occur during our year?
8. How might the solstice affect calendars?
9. Explain what a lunisolar calendar is and how it functions? Provide two examples
of a historical and/or modern lunisolar calendar and discuss something interesting
you learned about each of them.
10. What is a fiscal calendar? Explain how its use is
different from that of the other calendar types you
have investigated so far?
11. Discuss how the seasons were important in the design of historical calendars.
How did the seasons affect how calendars were used and understood?
12. What is a sidereal month? How is it different from a synodic
month?
13. Have calendars ever had to be adjusted in the past? If so, how have humans
adjusted their calendars in the past or present?
14. Provide an example of a historical or modern calendar that has been adjusted.
Why was the calendar adjusted?
15. What is a leap year?
16. Who created the concept of the leap year? Why did this person
create the concept?
17. What is a tropical year? Explain how the tropical year relates to calendars.
Specific Historical Calendars:
18. In your own words explain what the Julian calendar is and how it works. Name
two interesting facts you have discovered about this particular calendar.
19. In your own words explain what the Gregorian calendar is and how it works.
Name two interesting facts you have discovered about this particular calendar.
20. In your own words explain what the Chinese calendar
is and how it works. Name two interesting facts you have
discovered about this particular calendar.
21. In your own words explain what the Hindu calendar is and how it works. Name
two interesting facts you have discovered about this particular calendar.
22. In your own words explain what the Mayan calendar is and how it works. Name
two interesting facts you have discovered about this particular calendar.
23. In your own words explain what the Babylonian calendar is and how it works.
Name two interesting facts you have discovered about this particular calendar.
24. In your own words explain what the Egyptian calendar is and how it works.
Name two interesting facts you have discovered about this particular calendar.
25. In your own words explain what the Roman
calendar is and how it works. Name two
interesting facts you have discovered about this
particular calendar.
26. In your own words explain what the Aztec calendar is and how it works. Name
two interesting facts you have discovered about this particular calendar.