SCIENCE · GRADES 1-2, GRADES 3-5 · 30-40 MIN
Shadow Science: Light, Shadows and the Moving Sun lesson plan
Students trace and measure a shadow at several times (or lamp positions) and find patterns in length and direction.
At a glance
Time: 30-40 min
Grades: Grades 1-2, Grades 3-5
Subject: Science: Light, Shadows and the Moving Sun
Grouping: Teams of 3.
Space: A sunny outdoor area or a darkened room with a lamp.
Teacher prep: 10 min printing + 10 min taping
Included: Teacher guide, student sheet, checks for understanding, exit ticket with answers
Open the printable lesson: teacher guide and student sheet →
Essential question
Why is your shadow long in the morning and short at noon?
What students learn and show
Learn: Shadows point away from the light; lower light makes longer shadows.
Show: Predict the direction and relative length of a shadow from the light's position.
Objectives
Observe that shadows change length and direction with the light angle
Measure and record shadow length at intervals
Relate shadow direction to the light source's position
Predict a shadow before checking it
Before this lesson students should: Measuring length; reading a simple bar graph.
Materials and prep
The 1:1 print (outdoors ideal)
Chalk or tape
Tape measures
A bright lamp on a pole (indoor option)
Data sheets
Prep (about 10 min to print, 10 min to tape)
Outdoors: plan readings at least 1 hour apart. Indoors: lamp on a pole moved low to high.
Mark a fixed caster spot.
Remind: never look at the sun.
Space: A sunny outdoor area or a darkened room with a lamp.
Grouping: Teams of 3.
Ways to run it: 1:1 printed floor plan; Painter's tape on the floor; real
Lesson procedure
Teacher model: Trace a shadow; measure it: '6 ft long, pointing west. The sun is east, so the shadow points away.'
Guided practice: Teams trace and measure the first shadow together.
First shadow: a student stands at the caster spot; the team traces the shadow on the plan and measures it.
Move the sun: time passes (or the lamp moves). Re-trace and re-measure from the same spot.
Read the pattern: shadows point away from the light and grow as the light lowers. Chart length versus sun position.
Predict: 'Where will the shadow fall when the sun is here?' Mark the prediction, then test it.
Sundial idea: the caster's moving shadow could tell time — sketch where noon and afternoon shadows landed.
Checks for understanding
Ask: When is your shadow longest, sun high or low? Look for: Low.
Ask: Which way does a shadow point relative to the light? Look for: Away from the light.
Ask: The sun moved west; which way did the shadow swing? Look for: East.
Exit ticket
The lamp is low on the left. Draw the shadow of a cup. Answer: Long shadow to the right.
Your graph shows length falling until midday and rising after. Explain. Answer: The sun rises higher until midday, then lowers.
Scoring: Item 1: 2 points. Item 2: 2 points.
Common misconception
Students may think: Shadows point toward the light.
Address it: Check with a flashlight: the shadow is on the far side.
Supports and extensions
Learning support: One or two readings with a pre-drawn data box; tracing the shadow is a concrete paired task.
Multilingual learners: Length and direction are drawn and measured, not described; 'long/short,' 'toward/away' shown.
Mobility and access: Shadows can be traced on a tabletop with a flashlight; the pattern stays the goal.
Extension: Build a working sundial from the day's shadow marks — how accurately can the floor tell time?
Transfer task: Where will the flagpole's shadow fall at 3 p.m.?
Spaced review: Next week: predict morning shadow direction.
Standards connections
NGSS 5-ESS1-2 (standard)
Connections show which skills the activity practices. They are not a claim of full coverage; see the library for scope notes.
Why this approach
A National Academies consensus report arguing that spatial thinking is a teachable, underrecognized skill that belongs across the K-12 curriculum. Limit: A policy and synthesis report, not an experiment. It does not test this lesson.
Ready to teach it?
The printable version has the full teacher guide, a student recording sheet, prep steps and an exit ticket. Open the printable lesson →
Need the floor plan itself? Get a 1:1 print quote.
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