This document provides instructions for an activity to teach students about shadows. It explains how shadows are formed when an object blocks light and includes a hands-on activity where students will trace each other's shadows using a flashlight on black paper. The activity is meant to demonstrate that shadows are longer in the morning and evening when the sun is lower, and shorter at noon when the sun is highest. Students are asked questions to check their understanding of how shadows change at different times of day.
2. Science Standard 4.3.9: Draw or correctly select drawings of shadows and their direction and length at different times.
3. Other Standard in Relation 4.3.8: Rotation of Earth on axis = night and day cycle.
4. Vocabulary Words Shadow: area where direct light from a light source cannot reach due to obstruction by an object. Reflection: the phenomenon of a propagating wave (light or sound) being thrown back from a surface. Propagating Wave: the way in which a wave can travel.
5. Background Information How are shadows formed? When an object is blocking the path of light it will leave the exact shape of the object which is known as the shadow. What has shadows? Any object that is blocking the path of a light wave. Examples: trees, humans, animals, vehicles, homes, etc…
6. Shadow Activity You will need 3 people to do this activity. The first person will need to hold the flashlight, the second person will be the drawer and the third person will be drawn. You need to place a piece of black construction paper on the board (being held by tape). Have someone stand in front of the black construction paper facing sideways and have the other person stand in front of them holding the flashlight . Have the third person trace the person standing there. Take turns until everyone has completed the activity.
7. Shadow Activity Cont. The flashlight will cast a shadow of the person standing there on the black construction paper. The flashlight acts like the sun wave and the object that blocks the flashlight (sun wave) is the person being drawn thus casting the shadow of the person (object) on the black construction paper.
9. Where is my Shadow? In the first picture the shadow is bigger because shadows are longer in the morning and evening. In the second picture the shadow is smaller because shadows are shorter at noon. However they are much darker at noon then in the morning or the evening.
10. Questions On a piece of paper answer the following questions: Where would your shadow be if it was 9 a.m? Describe what your shadow would look like. Where would your shadow be if it was 9 p.m? Describe what your shadow would look like.
11. Materials in the Box Black construction paper Chalk Flashlight with batteries Tape Notebook paper PowerPoint slides Pencils
