Why do shadows look different in the summer than in the winter? What causes day and night? How can a sundial be used to tell time? Answer these questions and more through two engaging lessons about light and shadows. Fourth and fifth...

Two hands-on activities celebrate the sun and moon autumnal equinox. First, scholars create a cairn using a shoebox, flashlight, and drawing tools to view the sun's progression. Second, learners take to the kitchen to bake mooncakes...

Three activities make up a solar system lesson that features the sun, its light, and the shadows it produces. Scholars step outside to discover the changes shadows make at different times of day, take part in a demonstration of...

Starting with questions about the tilt of the Earth and apparent motion of the sun, a instructional activity provides instructions on how to figure the paths of the Sun on certain dates. Learners answer three more questions,...

Before iPhones and calendars, how did humans determine the seasons of the year? Middle school scientists discover how to use shadows to determine the time of year in an enlightening interactive. Pupils manipulate the sun and examine the...

Fifth graders must use a pencil to draw in the shadows they think will be formed by a house, a greenhouse, and a tree. The sun is behind each of these objects, and an open field is in front of them. That's where pupils draw their...

Get an up-close-and personal look at the sun from the safety of your classroom with this fun science application. Offering numerous activities, images, and videos, the resource supports children of all ages as they learn about the sun.

Light is such an amazing thing! Elementary schoolers explore the wonderful world of light and shadow. The instructional activity is meant to be carried out on a whiteboard. Objects are placed in front of a light source, and learners must...

For this light and shadows worksheet, students find 5 transparent items and 5 opaque items from the classroom and categorize them underneath their appropriate headings. Students look at 4 boxes with shadows and draw a little sun to show...

Students experiment with light and shadow. In this light lesson, students look at the relationship between shadows and light. They experiment with light source, shadow size, transparent objects and reflective objects. 

What's cooking? A sizzling STEM unit challenges scholars to build a solar cooker that can successfully cook an egg. The unit opens with a study of Earth's rotation, the sun's energy, and shadows. Pupils use a compass and thermometer to...

How did ancient peoples determine the height of really tall objects? Young scientists and mathematicians explore the concept of using shadows to measure height in a hands-on experiment. Paired pupils measure shadows, then calculate the...

Shine some light on the topic of seasonal change with this collection of activities. Whether it's by measuring the change in the length of their shadows, or modeling the earth's orbit around the sun using a lamp and a globe, these...

Students examine why the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. In this sun lesson, students explore the sunset and shadows. Students prove that the sun's position changes during the day. Students investigate what causes a shadow....

Demonstrate the path of the sun across the sky at different times of the year with an engaging science lesson.  Learners use a series of questions and diagrams to examine the movement of the sun and appearance of the sky around...

How do the moon, sun, and Earth line up to create eclipses? Why do the seasons change throughout a year? The answers to these questions are explained through this series of slides. This apt presentation outlines information using bullet...

What causes a shadow to appear? Have kindergartners and first graders explore shadows with a fun science activity. After reading a short paragraph about light sources, they draw a shadow for a little girl based on the location of the...

Sunrise, sunset ... swiftly move the shadows! Pupils practice comparing shadow length data with a hands-on activity. The resource allows users to examine and measure the shadow cast by a stick as the sun moves overhead before testing...

Students demonstrate that the movement of the sun causes shadows which were used as the first indicators of telling time.

Eighth graders explain the relationship between the position of the sun, a city's latitude and shadow length. Ratio's, geometry, and algebra are used to determine the shadow lengths and building heights. A sun angle (altitude) charts to...

Students explore Earth science by creating a scale model in class. In this shadow lesson plan, students research the impact the sun has on Earth shadows and complete a space science worksheet. Students create models of the Sun and Earth...

Students investigate that the sun is at the center of the solar system through role play. One student is the sun and one student is the Earth. The students then show how the Earth orbits around the sun. Students view a flashlight and...

Students demonstrate understanding of shadows by creating a physical model of concepts taught.

Students explore light and shadow and discover that the sun is the primary source of light. they explore the aspects of light and that the size and shape of a shadow depends on the proximity of the light source and create a sundial.