Early Science  /  Shadows  /  Math  /  Activity

More Shadow Moves

 

Shadows
Hands-On

Children explore how many ways they can move a flashlight to make the length and position of a shadow change. Then they work in pairs, shining two flashlights at an object.

A teacher shines a flashlight on a small toy that is placed on a piece of white paper on the floor. Three students sit on the floor watching. A flashlight shines on a small toy that is placed on a piece of white paper on the floor. Students look on, and one points at the shadow created by the toy.

Use a flashlight to make shadows that move and change.

Hold the light above the toy. Is the shadow long or short?

 

Materials

  • Flashlights (1 for each child)
  • Small classroom objects such as: a block, a counting bear, a paper cup (1 for each child)
  • Sheets of white paper (1 for each child to place the small object on)

Preparation

  1. Darken the area where you will meet with your small groups, so that shadows made with flashlights can be clearly seen.
 

Directions: Lesson 12

Guided Small Group
  1. Demonstrate how to move a flashlight up, down, over, and around a small object to see how many ways you can make the shadow move and change. Encourage children to describe how you are moving the flashlight (up, down, over, under, around; closer to/farther from (the object); side to side; making circles above, below) and how the shadow is changing and moving (getting longer/shorter, getting bigger/smaller, growing/shrinking; moving back and forth; moving in front of, behind, between, next to, over, under another object).
  2. Provide each child with a small object and a flashlight, and ask them to explore ways they can move the flashlight around their object (or blocker) to create shadows. Set different challenges such as:
    • Make a shadow that is very long. Very short.
    • Make a shadow that is very thin. Very wide.
    • Make a shadow that is in front of another shadow. Between two other shadows.
    • Make a shadow that wiggles back and forth.
    • Make a shadow that circles round and round.
  3. Suggest that children work in pairs and shine both flashlights at one object. Discussion ideas:
    • How many shadows can you see when you shine two flashlights on one object?
    • Can you make one shadow grow short and one shadow grow long?
    • Can you make one shadow hide inside the other shadow?
    • Can you make one shadow wiggle and the other shadow stand still?
    • Can you make one shadow move in a circle and the other shadow stand still?
    • How many shadows do you think you would see if you shined three flashlights on one object? Try it out!
    • Which shadow is made by which flashlight? How can you find out?
Length of Play

15 min.

Group Size
In the Schedule
 
Vocabulary
  • above
  • around
  • behind
  • below
  • between
  • bigger
  • closer
  • compare
  • describe
  • down
  • farther
  • in front
  • longer
  • next to
  • object
  • over
  • predict
  • shadow
  • shorter
  • smaller
  • under
 
Learning Goals
Science
  • Observe and describe how a shadow changes when the light source is moved (a shadow becomes bigger if the light moves closer to the blocker and smaller if the light moves farther away from the blocker).
  • Compare/contrast 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).
Math
  • Use spatial vocabulary (under, over, above, below).
  • Use spatial vocabulary (closer, farther).
  • Compare size (big, small).