Early Science  /  Shadows  /  Hands-On  /  Activity

Shadow Sculptures

 

Shadows
Hands-On

Children create sculptures from play dough and craft materials, then shine a flashlight on their sculpture to examine its shadow.

Materials to make shadow sculptures are laid out on a table: six paper plates, each with a ball of red Play-Doh; a pile of pipe cleaners; a plate of orange feathers; and a plate of multi-colored popsicle sticks. A student holds a paper plate, on which sits a shadow sculpture, made from Play-Doh that has popsicle sticks and pipe cleaners sticking out of it.

Set up stations for making sculptures. Everyone will need a play dough base.

Stick pipe cleaners, craft sticks, and feathers into the play dough.

 

Materials

  • Play dough
  • Craft sticks, pipe cleaners, and/or coffee stirrers (various colors)
  • Collage sculpture materials such as packing peanuts, buttons, feathers
  • Flashlights

Preparation

  1. Create play dough bases by rolling play dough into balls about the size of a golf ball.
  2. Roll extra grape-sized clumps of play dough connecting materials (such as placing a button on a craft stick).
 

Directions: Lessons 8, 9, 12

Learning Center
  1. Have children make sculptures by sticking objects (craft sticks, pipe cleaners, packing peanuts, feathers, etc.) in a play dough base. Remind children that this will be a shadow sculpture, so they should try to make an interesting shape.
  2. Circulate through the Learning Center as children work and engage them in conversation. Encourage children to listen to each other and build on each other’s responses. Possible discussion ideas:
    • Tell me about your shadow sculpture. What materials are you using?
    • You have some sticks and pipe cleaners on your sculpture. Do you think we will be able to see the difference between a stick and a pipe cleaner in the shadow? Why do you think so?
    • Do you think we will be able to see the difference between a red pipe cleaner and a white pipe cleaner in the shadow? How? (Or, Why not?)
    • How could we find out what we will be able to see in the shadow? (If needed, point out the flashlight on the table.) Good idea. Let’s turn on the flashlight.
    • Compare the sculpture and its shadow. Can you tell the difference between a stick and a pipe cleaner in the shadow? What things do you NOT see in the shadow?
Length of Play

5–15 min.

Group Size
In the Schedule
 
Vocabulary
  • compare
  • shadow
 
Learning Goals
Science
  • Observe and describe shadows (identify the light source, the object that blocks the light, and the shadow or darker area on the surface on the opposite side of the light source).