Early Science  /  Shadows  /  Week 1: Lesson 1  /  Activity

Little Shadow, Dance with Me

 

Shadows
Books & Songs

Children sing and move to an action song about their shadows.

Four students are dancing in a sandy playground. It is sunny, and their shadows are visible. Four students are dancing in a sandy playground. It is sunny, and their shadows are visible.

Little shadow, dance with me, dance with me, dance with me.

Little shadow, dance with me. Do just what I do.

 

Materials

 
Materials PDF
  • Little Shadow, Dance with Me: Lyrics (PDF)

Preparation

  1. Familiarize yourself with the words to the song “Little Shadow, Dance with Me” (sung to the tune of “Skip to My Lou”). If you wish, print out the lyrics.
  2. Find a sunny location outdoors with a flat surface for making shadows.
  3. SAFETY ALERT: When looking for shadows outdoors, remind children never to look directly at the sun because it can hurt their eyes.
 

Directions: Lesson 1

Outdoors
  1. Take children outdoors to the sunny location. Have children stand so they can see their shadows in front of them.
  2. Sing the song “Little Shadow, Dance with Me” and do the motions to demonstrate each verse. Invite the children to sing and move along, observing their shadows as you sing each verse again together.
    • Little shadow, dance with me
      Little shadow, dance with me
      Little shadow, dance with me
      Do just what I do.
    • Wave your arms, just like me
      Wave your arms, just like me
      Wave your arms, just like me
      Do just what I do.
    • Stamp your feet, just like me
      Stamp your feet, just like me
      Stamp your feet, just like me
      Do just what I do.
    • Shake and wiggle, just like me
      Shake and wiggle, just like me
      Shake and wiggle, just like me
      Do just what I do.
    • Little shadow, dance with me
      Little shadow, dance with me
      Little shadow, dance with me
      Do just what I do.
  1. Can the class suggest other actions and make up new verses of the song?
Circle Time: Wrap-Up
  1. Sing the song again, this time with children working in pairs and facing each other.
    • As one child does each motion, the other child imitates the motion, like a shadow.
    • Have the children switch roles and repeat the song.
 

Directions: Lesson 12

Circle Time: Wrap-Up
  1. Sing the song “Little Shadow, Dance with Me” and have children work in pairs, facing each other.
    • As one child does each motion, the other child imitates the motion, like a shadow.
    • Have the children switch roles and repeat the song.
Length of Play

5 min.

Group Size
In the Schedule
 
Vocabulary
  • 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).