Children locate and discuss shadows cast by a flashlight.
How can we make the room dark for shadows activities? Turn off the lights and use a flashlight!
What do you think is making this shadow?
Materials
- A flashlight
- Several classroom objects of different shapes and sizes to cast shadows
Preparation
- Explore ways to darken the room and try out the shadow-making activity below.
Directions: Lesson 2
Circle Time: Introduction
- Gather in a darkened area of the room and have children sit in a circle. Place several classroom objects in the middle of the circle, at a distance from one another. Have children count the number of objects in the circle.
- Then have children count down with you: 3, 2, 1 . . . Flashlight! Turn on the flashlight and shine it on one object, so that the shadow appears on the floor. Possible discussion ideas:
- Can you find a shadow? Point to it.
- What is making that shadow? How do you know that is a shadow of the (object name)?
- Have children describe how the shadow looks the same as or different from the object. How is the (object) different from its shadow? Is the shadow the same color as the (object)? Does the shadow have the same details as the (object)?
- Can you pick up the shadow? Why or why not?
- Repeat with other objects.
