Hands-On Investigations for Teaching about Shadows

Shadows seem like such a simple concept to understand. But they still require hands on investigations to truly understand them. Here are three hands-on investigations to help students understand how the Sun's position affects an object's shadow.

Materials:

Sidewalk chalk
Large object (ball, cone, chair, etc)
Handheld flashlight
Small object (gluestick, small toy, etc)

Investigation #1

Steps:

Place a large object in full sun (ball, cone)
Trace the object with sidewalk chalk and write down the time the tracing was done.
Return to the drawing 1 hour later and trace the shadow again and label the time next to it. (It helps to use different colored chalk each time).
Repeat these steps each hour as often as you can complete it during the school day.

Students will observe:

The shadow moves slightly each hour.
The shadow changes size each hour.
The shadow is the smallest at midday.

Investigation #2

Investigation #3

FAQ

What materials did you use?

Feel free to substitute similar materials for the ones we've listed. We've also included links to products we've used and recommend if you'd like a starting point for gathering supplies.

Small and large object found from the classroom
Sidewalk chalk*
Mini flashlights* (it came with batteries too!)

What if it's cloudy or raining?

The sun is very important for investigations 1 & 2. Since you rely in the Sun moving, you can't do this in a classroom. If it’s rainy or cloudy, have students complete investigation 3 and try another day for the other two.

How can I make sure the shadow tracings stay preserved if multiple classes use the same playground?

We recommend you email your school the day before letting them know your plan and ask them to keep their students away. You may also want to draw a long line showing where your students' work starts and ends.