Unit 1

Explore Shadows

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Learning Goals Classroom Resources

Gather materials and books for your shadow explorations.

Roll Up Your Sleeves! Teacher Preparation

Learn about shadow science and plan your curriculum by trying out the materials your kids will use.

Classroom Close-Up
Welcome to Azizas classroom! Find out how she and her kids explore shadows. Look for stories, drawings, and photos from Azizas classroom throughout this shadow exploration.

10 Lets Explore: Outdoor Shadows

The sun is shining! Start your shadow study outdoors.

15 Lets Explore: Indoor Shadows

Lamp Shadows Create shadows and find ways to change their shape and size. Flashlight Shadows Investigate shadows with lights kids can move. Shadow Theaters Explore shadow science through dramatic play.

22 Teacher Reflection 23 Classroom Close-Up

DVD
Peep Story:

Explore Shadows
Night Light 8:45 minutes

Photo: Dina Mardell

Kids Explore: Making Shadows 1:30 minutes Watching Shadows Change 1:30 minutes Playing with Shadow Puppets 1:30 minutes

Unit 1 Shadows

2005 WGBH. Peep and the Big Wide World and the related marks are trademarks of WGBH. Third party trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Used with permission. Peep and the other original Peep characters were created by Kai Pindal for the National Film Board of Canada. Peep and the Big Wide World is produced by WGBH and 9 Story Entertainment in association with TVOntario and Discovery Kids. Major funding for Peep and the Big Wide World is provided by the National Science Foundation.

Learning
Science

Goals
As children explore shadows, they will begin to understand the following key science concepts:

Classroom Close-Up
Every day I take my class outside and we cross the street to the playground. Kids often point out our shadows crossing next to us. Last week, when we were planning curriculum, my assistant teacher Erica said, Maybe we could pick up on the kids interest and do a study of shadows. I agreed. But I felt a little nervous. After all, Ive never thought of myself as a science person. Just the idea of science is SO intimidating. And if I didnt quite understand the science of shadows, how could I ever teach it to my kids? But then I remembered a workshop leader telling us that the important thing was not to know everything, but to be willing to jump in with the kids, explore, and find out. Aziza, preschool teacher

A shadow is made when an object blocks the light.

You can make shadows with your body and other objects.

A shadow shows the shape of an object, but it doesnt show colors or details (such as a smile or a frown). You can change the shape of a shadow by moving and turning your body or the object. You can combine shadows to make different shadow shapes. Each light source directed at an object will create a shadow.

As you move a light source around an object, the objects shadow moves and its length and shape change.

Indoors, you can change the size of a shadow by moving your body or the object closer to or farther from the light. (Shadows grow bigger and fuzzier as the object moves closer to the light source, and smaller and sharper as the object moves farther away.) Outdoors, a shadows shape, size, and position change over the course of the day as the position of the sun changes. Kids will practice scientific skills as they learn about shadows. They will: Observe, describe, draw, and compare shadows. Predict, measure, and record changes in size. Do simple experiments, talk about cause and effect, and share ideas.

Language and Literacy

VocabularyThrough hands-on experiences and discussions, children will become familiar with words such as shadow, light, bigger, smaller, closer, and farther. Print awarenessChildren will see their words written on class charts. Theyll listen and read along as the words are read back to them. Book experiencesChildren will listen to read-aloud books about shadows and explore pictures and photos in books independently. Emergent writingChildren will record their own shadow observations through drawing, tracing, and writing.

Early Math
Children will describe, measure, record, and compare the shape and size of shadows.

Classroom

Resources
Gather supplies for Unit 1: Explore Shadows. We have provided a list of all the materials youll need. Then, fill your classroom with shadow-related books to spark kids curiosity and keep their interest high.

Materials
Outdoor Shadows chalk crayons, markers large sheets of paper clipboard, paper, pencil camera (optional) Lamp Shadows desk lamp with 100-watt bulb and/or slide projector interesting objects for making shadows (comb, toy truck, blocks, etc.) large sheets of paper, tape, crayons, markers table or surface to support lamp or slide projector Flashlight Shadows flashlights small objects with interesting shapes drawing/tracing material Large Shadow Theater large white bed sheet 4 binder clips or tape 2 chairs desk lamp with 100watt bulb and/or slide projector Mini Shadow Theater shoeboxes (or other cardboard boxes) wax paper scissors, tape flashlights small objects with interesting shapes

Story Books...with Extension Activities

Chorao, Kay. Shadow Night. Penguin Putnam, 2001. A boys parents help him overcome his fear of nighttime shadows. Help your children try out the picture instructions for making a hand-shadow spider, bird, and alligator. Nussbaum, Ben, and Kathy Waugh. Shadows: What a Funny Shape! WGBH Educational Foundation, 2004. A Peep and the Big Wide World storybook and musical CD. Read and sing along, then try the shadow puppet and sticker activities provided at the end. Stevenson, Robert Louis. My Shadow. There are several illustrated versions of Stevensons classic poem. Invite kids to chant the first verse with you. Then have children invent hand motions and movements to go along with the words. Swinburne, Stephen R. Guess Whose Shadow? Boyds Mills Press, 1999. This book invites readers to play a shadow-guessing game. You can make a similar book, using photos of your kids and their shadows. Wilhelm, Hans. I Love My Shadow!/Me gusta mi sombra! Scholastic, 2002. A dog romps with its shadow until a cloud blocks the sun. Take your kids outside on a cloudy day to look for shadows.

Nonfiction Books
You and your students can use these books to get factual information about shadows. Its a great way to model to kids how books can be helpful resources for learning about their world. Kids can also independently look at the images as part of their explorations. Bulla, Clyde Robert. What Makes a Shadow? Harper Collins, 1994. Dorros, Arthur. Me and My Shadow. Scholastic, 1990. Worth, Karen and Sharon Grollman. Worms, Shadows, and Whirlpools: Science in the Early Childhood Classroom. Educational Development Center, Inc., 2003. An in-depth look at science inquiry in preschool classrooms. For stories of shadow explorations, see pp. 129141.

Gore, Sheila. My Shadow. Doubleday, 1990.

Unit 1 Shadows

Roll Up Your Sleeves!

Teacher Preparation
When was the last time you really explored shadows? Now is your chance! These hands-on activities will help you: learn more about the science of shadows troubleshoot problems that might arise think about ways you can help kids get the most out of shadow explorations So grab a teaching partner and explore shadows together, both outdoors and in your classroom.

Photo: Natalie Hebshie

Teacher Reflection

As you explore, we encourage you to reflect on how to best introduce and adapt these activity ideas to suit your students and your environment. The questions below are intended to spark those reflections.

Shadow Science
What is a shadow?

Outdoor Shadows
1 Walk around the outdoor play area and notice objects that cast interesting shadows (trees, buildings, playground equipment). Are any of these shadows in places where kids can trace or draw them? Are there sheltered areas where children could enjoy shadow play in windy or chilly weather? 2 Walk and turn in different directions. Watch where your shadow falls and how it changes. 3 Notice how your shadow looks when it falls on stairs or a wall.

Light travels in straight lines. When light hits an object, some or all of the light is blocked, creating an area on the other side of the object with less light. This dimmer area is called a shadow.

How might kids describe this? Think of ways to use these words as part of a science/literacy activity.

4 Try these shadow tricks. Make your shadow hide in someone elses shadow. Work with a partner to make a shadow with three arms. Stand next to a partner. Try to make your shadows touch hands without your hands actually touching. Give your shadow a tail or antlers, using your arms, a stick, or other prop. Find a rock or leaf on the ground. Make a circle with your hands. Move so that the shadow of your hands forms a circle around the rock or leaf. (You can also do this activity indoors using a lamp.) Which of these tricks would be good challenges for your children? How might you introduce and organize the partner activities?

Indoor Shadows with Lamps

1 Find a lamp with a bright bulb (100 watts) that can be adjusted so the light shines on a wall. A gooseneck lamp, a hinged desk lamp, a clip-on lamp, an overhead projector, or a slide projector (with a blank slide) are all good choices. Make the room darker. With your partner, take turns making shadows using your hands and small objects. What classroom objects make interesting shadows? What small outdoor objects could you add to the collection?

Shadow Science

2 Turn an object in all directions and watch the shape of the shadow change. When does the shadows shape look most like the object? Whats the smallest shadow you can make? 3 Move your hand closer to the lamp, then farther away. How can you make the shadow of your hand big and fuzzy? How can you make it small and clear? How can you make the shadow disappear? We suggest you present these structured challenges to kids after they have spent a significant amount of time freely exploring lamp shadows on their own.

When you hold an object close to a light source (such as a lamp or flashlight), the object blocks a lot of light and the shadow is big and fuzzy.

Indoor Shadows with Flashlights

With flashlights, you can change the shape of shadows by moving the light source. (You cant do that outside, since the light source is the sun!) This opens up a whole new way to play with shadows. So grab a flashlight (or two), dim the lights, and try it out. 1 Explore how to change the shape of a shadow. What happens when you hold the flashlight above the object and shine it straight down? 2 What happens when you shine the flashlight on the side of the object? Whats the longest, skinniest shadow you can make? 3 Move your flashlight in a circle above the object. What happens to its shadow? 4 Turn off your flashlight and point it at an object. Can you predict where the shadow will fall when you turn on the flashlight? 5 What happens when you shine two flashlights at the same object? As you experiment, think of ways to help your kids get the most out of these explorations. Which would be most effective presented in a small group setting? How can kids share what they have observed and discovered with their classmates?

When you hold an object far from a light source, the object only blocks a little light, and the shadow is small and sharp.

Shadow Science
When the position of the light source changes, it causes the shape of an objects shadow to change.

When the light source is above an object, the shadow is short.

When the light source is low, aimed at the side of an object, the shadow is long.

Unit 1 Shadows

Lets Explore

Outdoor Shadows
The outdoors is a wonderful, natural laboratory for exploring light and shadows with children. Begin studying shadows with your class on a sunny day. If possible, go outside in the early morning (or late afternoon) when shadows are the longest and most impressive. For the next few weeks, look for shadows on rainy days, windy days, and cloudy days, as well as on bright, sunny days. This way, noticing shadows will become part of childrens everyday awareness. Be sure to talk about your observations.

Introduce Shadows
Classroom Close-Up
Yesterday on the playground, Sam said, Look! as he pointed to the shadow his body cast in front him. I can see me! Michela looked at Sams shadow. Then she looked at Sam. Two Sams, she said. Then she jumped on Sams shadow. Now there are two mes! she squealed as she pointed first to herself and then to her shadow. How do you know those are your shadows? I asked. Michela did a little wiggle and Sam stamped his feet. Theyre doing what we do, said Sam. The other kids were intrigued. They stopped being firemen and cake makers and monsters and swingers and became shadow makers too! Aziza, preschool teacher

Go to an outside play area with your children and take a look at your shadows. You can nurture their interest by noticing and commenting on their shadows and joining in the play yourself. Bring along a clipboard, paper, and pencil to jot down things children say and do. Lets see if we can find our shadows. Wave to your shadow! Can you tell which shadow is yours? How do you know?

How can you make your shadow small? How can you make it tall? Can you put your foot on your shadows head? What else can you do with your shadow? Do you see anything else out here that has a shadow? What?

Reflect and Share

At Circle Time, explain that over the next weeks the class will be exploring shadows. Help children recall their outdoor shadow discoveries. Use your notes to share examples of what they said and did. Ask: What did you learn about shadows today? What else do you know about shadows? Can anyone see any shadows now? Show us. What are some good places to go to see your shadow? Write childrens words on chart paper. Let them know that in the coming weeks you will be sharing and recording more shadow discoveries.

Family Science Letters

Reproduce and send home Explore Science with Your Kids and Explore Shadows with Your Kids (provided in English and Spanish on pages 7174). During future Circle Times, encourage kids to talk about the shadow experiences and discussions they have had at home.

Free Exploration

Allow plenty of time for kids to explore shadows freely outdoors, without specific directions. Then, engage children with the focused shadow activities described next. These activities can be spread over two to three weeks.

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Explore Outdoor Shadows

Activity

Shadows: A Closer Look

Key Science Concepts

In order to create a shadow, you must be blocking some light. You can change the shape of your shadow by moving and turning. A shadow shows the shape of an object, but it doesnt show colors or many other details (such as a smile or a frown).

Notice the position, size, and shape of shadows.

Materials: chalk (if you can draw on the ground), crayons, markers, large sheets of paper (if you cant draw on the ground). 1 Ask children, Where is your shadow? In front of you? Behind you? Next to you? Have kids turn so that their shadow is in front of them. Say, Try chasing your shadow. Now turn so your shadow is behind you. Let your shadow chase you. Have children walk, run, and gallop with their shadows. 2 Notice where your shadows fall as you take a walk. Look at Michelas shadow on the stairs! What does it look like? Where are some other places you can make your shadow fall? 3 Have children stand in the shadow of a slide, a building, or a tree. Ask, What happens to your shadow? Have kids try sticking just one arm or leg out of the big shadow. 4 Trace kids shadows on the ground or on a large sheet of paper. As you trace, discuss the shadows: Look at Giannis shadow. Can you tell what color his shirt is by looking at his shadow? Can you tell if hes smiling or frowning? What other things CANT you tell by looking at a persons shadow? What things CAN you tell? 5 Ask: Is Giannis shadow the same size as he is? Have the child lie down next to the shadow tracing to find out. Is it taller, shorter, or the same size? (MATH) 6 Next to each shadow tracing, write the childs name and what the child says about his/her shadow. (LITERACY)

Reflect and Share

At Circle Time or in small groups, talk about the tracings. Display shadow tracings on the wall or gather kids near the outdoor tracings. Where is Ians face in this shadow? Can you see his eyes? Why not?

Do you think we could make shadows like this indoors? How?

Photo: Theresa Montgomery

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Key Science Concepts

You can change the shape of your shadow by moving and turning. Two people can combine their shadows to make a different shape.

Activity

Friendly Shadows

Make shadow shapes with a partner.

Materials: camera (optional) 1 Have kids work with a partner on the following challenges: Can you and a friend make a shadow with three legs? With four arms? Can you and your friend make your shadows touch hands, even if the two of you are not really touching hands? Can you make your shadow hide in your friends shadow? Lets play shadow tag. Try to tag your friends shadow with your foot. 2 If possible, take photos of the children creating combined shadows.

Reflect and Share

Talk about the partner work kids did outside. If you have photos, show them to the class. This is a picture of Selena and Lani and their shadows. Can you two tell us what you were doing and what you discovered?

DVD Connection

Photo: Theresa Montgomery

Watching and discussing the selected Peep stories can spark and extend childrens interest and understanding of light and shadows. We suggest that you show the Peep clips after your children have had an opportunity to do their own initial exploration of shadows. Your children can compare their experiences and discoveries with those shown on the DVD and think about what additional shadow explorations they might like to try. After watching Kids Explore: Making Shadows (1:30 minutes) on the Peep DVD, ask: What did the children in the video do? What have we done in our shadow explorations that was similar/different? What did Caroline and Sarah need to do to make an H? What are some new ways for us to explore shadows?

DVD: Making Shadows

Kids play with shadows indoors. Then they go outdoors and trace their shadows.

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Activity

Shrinking and Stretching

Key Science Concept

Outdoors, the shape, size, and position of a shadow change over the course of the day as the suns position changes.

Notice how shadows change size throughout the day.

Materials: chalk, crayons or markers, large sheets of paper, scissors, string (optional) 1 On a sunny day, go outside at two or three different times (morning, noon, and late afternoon). Each time you go out, ask the same child to stand on a large sheet of paper and trace his or her shadow. 2 Label each drawing morning, noon, or late afternoon. Invite the child to write his or her name. 3 Cut out the tracings. Repeat the steps for other interested children. NOTE: Instead of tracing shadows, kids can use string to measure the length of a shadow. Cut the string and label it with the time of day. At the end of the day, compare and discuss the changes. (MATH)

Reflect and Share

In small groups, ask children to put each set of tracings in chronological order, from morning to afternoon. Ask questions to guide a discussion: How did the shadows change? When was Gennas shadow the shortest? When were the shadows the longest?

Was Hashims shadow also shortest at lunchtime? For the next few days before you go out, tell the kids the time of day and help them find the shadow tracing made at that same time of day. Is the shadow tracing long or short? Ask the kids to predict what size their shadows will be when they step outdoors. (A prediction is what you think will happen based on what you know or have done before.) Go outside and test the predictions. (MATH)

Photo: Theresa Montgomery

Activity

Moving Shadows

Key Science Concept

Outdoors, the shape, size, and position of a shadow change over the course of the day.

Notice how shadows change position throughout the day.

Materials: chalk, crayons, markers, large sheets of paper (if you cant draw on the ground), camera (optional) 1 On a sunny day, have children use chalk to trace the shadow of an object on the playground, such as a post or a trash can. 2 Return to the object a few times during the day to observe and trace its shadow. Ask: What do you notice about the shadow? Is it in the same place? Is it the same size? Shorter? Longer?

Unit 1 Shadows

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3 Have kids trace the new shadow using a different color chalk. If possible, take a photo of the object with the different shadow tracings to spark discussion at a later time.

Reflect and Share

Outside, invite small groups of kids to share their shadow discoveries.

Look! Jonah and Ravi traced the flowerpot shadow three times today. What do you notice? Do you think other shadows outside also shift and grow and shrink during the day? How could we find out? What other shadows could we trace?

DVD Connection

DVD: Watching Shadows Change

Children trace shadows outside. Later in the day they notice how the shadows have moved.

Watch Kids Explore: Watching Shadows Change (1:30 minutes) on the Peep DVD. Ask: In the video, what happened to the shadow on the playground? What happened to Olivers shadow? Why do you think it happened? What have you noticed about how our shadows change outdoors? What new things could we do to explore how shadows change?

Classroom Close-Up
Outdoor shadow exploration was a big hit. Last week, Erica and I tried to keep the interest high by displaying books about shadows around the classroom and introducing new twists. One day, we brought music to the playground so we could dance with our shadows. Another day we went for a walk and noticed all the different places our shadows could be: in the sandbox, on a bench, on a tree trunk. We looked to see if the sandbox, the bench, and the tree trunk had shadows, too. At Circle Time, the kids talked about the discoveries they made during their outdoor shadow explorations. I wrote their ideas on a chart. Aziza, preschool teacher

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Lets Explore

Indoor Shadows
Creating shadows indoors with lamps, flashlights, and shadow theaters is a great way to both reinforce the shadow concepts that kids explored outdoors and to introduce new concepts. For example, kids can move their bodies closer to or farther from a lamp or a flashlight, making their shadows bigger and smaller. You cant do that with the sun!

Introduce Lamp Shadows

Materials: desk lamp with 100-watt bulb or a slide projector, paper, tape, drawing materials, interesting objects to trace (like combs, toy trucks, blocks) Set up a Lamp Shadow Center in an area that you can easily darken. Place the lamp or slide projector on a table so that the light shines on an empty wall. (Make sure the lamp cord isnt a tripping hazard.) Find the distance between the lamp and the wall that works well for casting shadows. Then tape paper on the wall where the light is shining so children can trace shadows.

Classroom Close-Up
We made a Shadow Center using an old slide projector we found in the supply closet. We put the projector on one table and some blocks on another. Then we adjusted the slide projector so that the blocks cast shadows on the wall. Today, a group of kids worked with blocks in the Shadow Center. As I observed them, it hit me. They were really paying close attention to how shadows are made. Juliet: Look, you can see our buildings shadows. Basil: There are six buildings and only four shadows. Noah: You cant see mine cause its on the other side. (He tries to move his building into the beam of the projector so he can see the shadow on the wall.) Aziza, preschool teacher

Lights, Camera, Action!

Introduce lamp shadows with a bit of drama. Bring your class to the Lamp Shadow Center and dim the lights. Have a few kids stand between the lamp and the wall. Ask, What do you think will happen when I turn on the lamp? Say, Lights, Camera, Action! and turn it on. When childrens shadows appear, invite them to dance and observe their own shadows. Ask, What will happen when I turn off the lamp? Turn off the lamp and ask, Why cant we see the shadows anymore? Repeat with a new group of shadow dancers. Before kids begin their explorations, talk to them about safety rules with lamps and slide projectors. NOTE: Because light sources can become very hot, an adult should always be working with children when the light source is on. Remove the light source when the area is unsupervised.

Safety Rules
Do not touch the light or put objects very close to the light. Light sources such as lamps can become very hot. Do not touch or play near the lamp cord. Only 34 children should be in the Lamp Shadow Center at a time.

Free Exploration

Allow plenty of time for kids to explore lamp shadows freely, without specific directions. Continue to encourage shadow play outside so children will begin to make connections between their observations indoors and outdoors. Then introduce the focused lamp shadow activities on page 16.

Unit 1 Shadows

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Explore Lamp Shadows

Key Science Concept
You can change the size of a shadow by moving an object closer to or farther from the light.

Activity

Big and Little Shadows

Move objects close to and far from a light to make big and small shadows.
1 As kids make shadows with their hands and objects, talk about how shadows are made. When you moved your hand, its shadow disappeared. Why do you think you can sometimes see a shadow but sometimes cant? 2 As the kids explore, help them describe what they are doing and how the size and appearance of the shadows are changing. Look how the shadow changes as Lori moves her hand closer to the light. What happens? How can you make the shadow smaller and less blurry? 3 Ask kids to compare the sizes of the shadows they are making. (MATH) Whats the biggest shadow you can make? The smallest? Can you make a shadow that is the same size as (the object)? 4 Help kids trace shadows and ask them to dictate captions.

Photo: Tanit Sakakini

Reflect and Share

Bring small groups to the Lamp Shadow Center and invite them to share their shadow discoveries.

DVD Connection

DVD: Night Light

Quack and Peep find a flashlight and have fun making big and little shadows.

Watch and discuss the Peep Story, Night Light (8:45 minutes). Ask: What happened when Quack woke up? Why was he confused? What did Peep and Quack find in the dump? How did Peep and Quack change the size of their shadows? What new things could we do with shadows?

Key Science Concepts

A shadow is made when an object blocks the light. You can change the shape of a shadow by turning the object.

Activity

Shadow Shapes

Turn objects to make different shadow shapes.

1 Help kids notice how shadows can be changed. The shadow of that comb looks like an animal with a long neck! What happens if you turn the comb? Wow! What happened to the shadow? 2 Help kids make connections between the shadows they make with a lamp and the shadows they see outdoors. Go outside and ask, Why are there shadows outside if we dont have a lamp out here?

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Reflect and Share

Gather a small group of children by the Lamp Shadow Center and invite them to share and discuss their discoveries. For example: Nina discovered a way to make the shadow of a book look like a thin line. Can you show us, Nina? Can someone else make a different shadow shape with the book? Now can you make the shadow look like a line again? How did you make it change?

Introduce Flashlight Shadows

Materials: flashlights of various sizes, small objects with interesting shapes (comb, toy animals, cookie cutters), drawing materials for tracing shadows Set up a Flashlight Shadow Center in a part of your classroom where the lights can be dimmed. Flashlights and objects can be set up on the floor or on a table.

Play Shadow Detectives

Dim the lights and sit in a circle with the kids. Tell them that they are going to be shadow detectives. When you turn on your flashlight, they will try to find the shadow. Have children join you in a countdown: 3, 2, 1 . . . Flashlight! Shine the flashlight on an object (such as a cup on a table) and let the class find and identify the shadow. Keep playing the game as long as kids are interested. Explain the rules for using flashlights. Then hand out flashlights and let kids practice turning different flashlights on and off (by pushing a button, by squeezing the sides, etc.).

Flashlight Rules
Do not shine the light in peoples eyes. Turn flashlights off when youre done so you dont waste the batteries.

Free Exploration

Allow plenty of time for kids to explore flashlight shadows freely, without specific directions. Then introduce the focused flashlight shadow activities on pages 1819.

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Explore Flashlight Shadows

Key Science Concept
As you move a flashlight around an object, the objects shadow moves and the length and shape of the shadow changes.

Activity

All Sorts of Shadows

Shine a flashlight from different positions to make different shadows.

1 As you observe kids in the Flashlight Shadow Center, invite them to talk about how theyre making shadows move and change. Encourage kids to notice what their classmates are doing, too. Look at the way Jonah is moving his flashlight. Whats happening to the shadow? Can you do that, too? What if you hold the flashlight above the object and shine the light straight down? What do you see? What happens if you move the flashlight around in circles? Lets shine the flashlight on the side of the object. What happens? Whats the longest shadow you can make? 2 Have kids work together to trace shadows of objects. Make tracings that show both big and little shadows of the same object. Offer help as needed. Do you want to trace that long, long shadow on a piece of paper? What would you like me to write? A description? A name? 3 Ask kids who are intrigued with flashlight shadows to choose one thing they would like to share in small groups.

Photo: Tanit Sakakini

Reflect and Share

In small groups, invite kids to bring an object and a flashlight to demonstrate something they have discovered. Show us a shadow you can make with a flashlight. a flashlight? Which do you like best? Why? Encourage kids to share their shadow tracings. Tomoko, tell us about your shadow tracings. How did you make them? Why is one shadow bigger than the other? Whats different about making shadows with a lamp and with

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Activity

Making Many Shadows

Key Science Concept

Each light source directed at an object will create a shadow.

Use several flashlights to make multiple shadows.

1 Encourage two kids to both shine their flashlights on the same object. 2 Help children notice how multiple shadows can be made. How many shadows do you see? Whats making the shadows? Lets try shining one more flashlight on the object. What do you think will happen? 3 Heres a way a small group can demonstrate and discuss multiple shadows. Gather 34 flashlights and a small object. Darken the room and hand out the flashlights. Ask the children with flashlights to sit in a semi-circle around the object. As you say a name, have that child turn on a flashlight and shine it at the object. Let children point out the shadow. With the first child continuing to shine the light on the object, ask the next child to turn on his or her flashlight and aim it at the object as well. How many shadows do the children now see? Continue in this manner until all children are shining their lights on the object. Each time let the group count how many shadows they see. (MATH)

Reflect and Share

Encourage kids to talk about the shadow explorations they have done at home with their families. What kinds of shadows did you make at home? What light did you use to make the shadows? Tell us about some of the different places you made shadows. Whats different about making shadows inside and outside?

Photo: Theresa Montgomery

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Explore Shadow Theaters

Shadow theaters are a great way to wrap up the unit and review key science concepts. Make a full-size theater, a mini theater, or both!

Key Science Concepts

Shadows grow bigger and fuzzier as the object moves closer to the light source and smaller and sharper as the object moves farther away. You can combine shadows to make different shadow shapes.

Activity

Large Shadow Theater

Use dramatic play to explore shadows.

Materials: a large white sheet, 2 chairs, 4 large binder clips or tape, an overhead or slide projector or desk lamp with 100-watt bulb, materials for making shadow puppets such as paper, plastic straws, craft sticks, ribbon, tape Position two chairs a few feet apart. Drape the sheet across both chairs on one side. Use binder clips or tape to attach the corners of the sheet to the top and bottom of each chair. Make sure the sheet is stretched tightly between the chairs and is secure. Position the lamp or slide projector on a table behind the sheet and find the distance and angle that works best for casting shadows. (This may take a little time and experimentation.) View the shadows from the opposite side of the sheet. 1 Introduce the Large Shadow Theater to kids. 2 Encourage kids to be actors, dancers, or puppeteers, telling stories with their own bodies, classroom objects, toy animals. Children can also make shadow puppets from paper, plastic straws, craft sticks, etc. 3 Pay close attention to safety issues. Kids should only use the Shadow Theater with adult supervision. Remove the light source when the Shadow Theater is not in use.

Reflect and Share

Gather to watch kids perform. Invite the audience to say which part of the play they liked best. Encourage the actors to explain how they created certain shadows.

DVD Connection

Watch and discuss Kids Explore: Playing with Shadow Puppets (1:30 minutes) on the Peep DVD. Ask: How did the kids make their puppets? What happened when the puppet was far from the wall? What happened when it was close to the wall? What new things could we try with our Shadow Theater?

DVD: Playing with Shadow Puppets

Kids make shadow puppets and a Large Shadow Theater; then they put on a show for friends.

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Activity

Mini Shadow Theater

Key Science Concepts

You can change the size of a shadow by moving an object closer to or farther from the light. You can change the shape of a shadow by turning the object.

Guess what object is making a shadow.

Materials: shoeboxes (or other cardboard boxes), wax paper or white paper, tape, flashlight, small objects (such as plastic animals, tape, comb) Cut off the bottom and top of a box. (If you use a shoebox, remove the top and cut out the bottom.) Cover one opening with wax paper (or white paper) and secure it with tape. From the other open end, prop or hold a flashlight inside the box and shine the light on the paper. Place an object between the flashlight and the paper. 1 Use the Mini Shadow Theater to play a Mystery Shadows guessing game. Invite a child to hold a mystery object inside the box, casting its shadow on the wax paper. 2 Ask children to view the shadows from the opposite side and guess what object is making the shadow. 3 Invite children to play with the Mini Shadow Theater in small groups.

Reflect and Share

Ask children: What are some things you noticed about shadows while you were playing with the Shadow Theater? Show us some ways you made the shadows move and change.

Photo: Tanit Sakakini

Photo: Tanit Sakakini

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Teacher Reflection

Explore Shadows
As teachers, we grow by reflecting on our classroom experiences and using those reflections to inform and improve our instruction. The following questions may help you reflect on the successes, surprises, and challenges of Unit 1: Explore Shadows. You may want to jot some notes in the spaces below. 1 What was the most satisfying part of the Explore Shadows unit for you and your students? Outdoor shadow play? Experimenting with flashlights? Something else? What made it so satisfying?

2 As you watched and listened to your children explore, what things surprised you? (For example, certain questions or observations about shadows, unusual ways children used the materials, specific things that fascinated them.)

3 What activities might you change or extend the next time you use the Explore Shadows unit? What would you keep the same? How could you build on your childrens particular interests and enthusiasm to make this an even richer science learning experience?

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Classroom Close-Up
Aziza describes how she and her class explored shadows indoors.

Building Block Shadows

After the success of our outdoor shadow play, Erica and I were eager to continue shadow exploration indoors. During Circle Time, we introduced the new Shadow Center we had created with the slide projector and blocks. I put a sheet over the slide projector. When all the kids were ready, I took off the sheet, turned off the overhead lights, and turned on the slide projector. Shadows! kids shouted as they noticed the shadows of the blocks cast on the wall. I explained that kids (in small groups) would have a chance to explore at the Shadow Center. Each child would have a turn. Then we talked about the rules. Over the next few weeks, children took turns making block shadows. They loved building towers. They figured out that if they built the tower too high, there wouldnt be a shadow of the very top because the light wouldnt hit it. So theyd experiment, seeing how high and wide they could build and still make shadows. It was neat to see how they were figuring out some of the same things Erica and I did when we were making shadows out in the block area. At some point, the kids also figured out that they could use their bodies to make shadows. Look at me, theyd shriek. You can see me on the wall! Working in small groups was great. All the kids really had a chance to see what shadows they could make. I listened to Jamie talk to his shadow as he experimented: Im the same size as my shadow [standing right next to the wall]. Im getting bigger and bigger and bigger [as he backed up]. Wow! Look how giant I am. Look at me! Now Im covering it! [standing right in front of projector] Jamie, Nick interrupted. Im trying to see my sculpture shadow. Please move. You are covering the light. After everyone had a chance to make shadows with the slide projector, we talked about shadows during Circle Time. I recorded the kids ideas on chart paper.

Photo: Dina Mardell

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Some of their ideas were not quite accurate, but I didnt correct them. Instead, I planned to give them new experiences that would help them rethink their ideas. After Circle Time, we went outside. The kids were really excited to see and talk about their outside shadows because of their experiences in the Shadow Center. I challenged my young shadow scientists by asking, What makes shadows? The sun makes shadows, Owen said promptly. Then how come we have shadows in the room? I asked. Cause the sun was coming through the window . . . Oh, oh! The light from the projector also makes shadows, Owen realized. What do you think happens outside at night? I asked. Are there shadows?

Corinne thought for a minute and said, No shadows. Why not? I asked, probing further. Cause theres no light, answered Jamie. Yeah, Jenny said, and you need light to make shadows.

Shadows at the Long Table

The weather grew colder so we spent less time outdoors. We made most of our shadow discoveries in the classroom. We set up a lamp so that it shined over the Long Table (art table) in our classroom. Kids played and experimented with the light, making shadows with different objects. They started tracing the shadows of the objects on paper. They called this capturing shadows. The kids were beginning to build an understanding of basic shadow concepts. I watched and listened as Rafael and Calder held up rolls of tape, moving them up and down under the light, watching the shadows change. Rafael: Look what I discovered. First its all fuzzy when you hold it up high. When you put it closer [to the paper], you can see it better. Calder: When I hold it up higher, mine gets bigger. Rafael: Yeah, but it is fuzzy, its harder to see. So I like it when it is closer. Calder: I like it bigger.
Photo: Dina Mardell

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Reflections
Ive never been a science person. At first, I thought, if learning science is too much for me, how could I ever teach it to my kids? But it was important to experiment with shadows myself, using the same materials that the kids would use. By playing, I learned how to make a shadow grow long or short, fuzzy or sharp, or just disappear. And I learned about the joy of discovery. I also learned a lot about the importance of being a kidwatcher. I used to think that in order to teach Id have to tell kids things, bombard them with questions, directions, and information. Im not quite sure when I made the discovery that I had to be a better listener. Maybe it was by watching too many activities fall flat and wondering, Why arent they interested in this? Then it came to me. Maybe it was because three seconds after kids started exploring, Id ask them to do something else! I didnt give them enough time to just explore before Id throw something new at them. So Ive learned to step back, to slow down, and really listen and watch for what kids are interested in. For example, a couple of days ago, kids in the Shadow Center were having a shadow dance party, dancing and watching their shadows dance on the wall. Rafael started to play around, standing behind Calder to make a combined shadow with extra arms. Look at this. It looks like I have four arms! Calder said. Hey everybody, called Rafael. Were having a monster dance!

The other kids in the center watched and laughed and tried it out, too. They were having fun with make-believe and drama, but they were also deepening their understanding of how shadows work. Watching how the kids spontaneously combined dramatic play and science exploration was really inspiring. So next week, Erica and I are planning to set up a shadow theater.

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