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Shadows in the Schoolyard

Provided by: Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education |Published on: July 28, 2023

Lesson Plans

K1234

Synopsis

In this lesson, students determine what happens to shadows throughout the day, why shadows vary in length depending on the time of day, and why shadows disappear at times.
Students will measure and record shadow length and direction multiple times throughout the day, and a table is included to help tabulate results.

Subjects: Science, English Language Arts, Mathematics

Authors: Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education, University of Wisconsin Stevens Point K-12 Energy Education Program

Region: Global, Wisconsin

Languages: English

Positives

Several extension activities are included and the resource takes great care to help students notice trends as days and seasons progress.

Prerequisites

Students will need an "energy learning log" to record their learning. This can be a formal graphic organizer or a simple notebook page.
Teachers may want to explain that the sun's position in the sky shifts due to Earth's rotation.
The assessment portion references an energy flow mural, which is not included or explained in this lesson plan.

Differentiation & Implementation

Students can discuss how the changing location of the sun in the sky may impact the use of solar energy, and the solution to this. Students may also want to discuss wind energy, which is also driven by the energy of the sun.
In math classes, students can create graphs to show the length of the shadows at various times in the day or answer math questions to compare two different lengths at different times.
In language arts classes, students can write a play or story about the mystery of the disappearing shadow. They can also read other mysteries to learn more about the genre.
Students can either use standard measurements of length or measure with a piece of string or other objects, so long as all students use the same method for each shadow.
Advanced students can connect this phenomenon with the orbit of the Earth, the tilt of the Earth, and the seasons.
This activity is part of KEEP's K-6 Solar Tilt Kit lesson, where students will learn how solar panels generate electricity and use KEEP's Solar Tilt Kit to determine the factors that impact the amount of electricity generated by a solar panel.

Scientist Notes

Teaching Tips

Standards

Resource Type and Format