I have a few Sun and Shadows Interactive Activity ideas to cover the standard:
S2E2. Students will investigate the position of sun and moon to show patterns throughout the year.
a. Investigate the position of the sun in relation to a fixed object on earth at various times of the day.
b. Determine how the shadows change through the day by making a shadow stick or using a sundial.
Disclaimer: It must be a sunny day to do these activities.
Sundial: I got this idea from the GA frameworks. Go outside in the morning, and put a stick in the ground. The sun rises in the east, so mark EAST on the side pointing where the sun is coming up. WEST is directly across from that, NORTH and SOUTH can be marked at the half-way points. This is a compass rose. Now students can turn this into a clock by marking 12 on NORTH, 3 on EAST, 6 on SOUTH, and 9 on WEST. Fill in the rest of the numbers appropriately. Observe telling time with the sundial throughout the day. Keep notes in journals.
People Shadow Tracker. Bring students outside in the morning sunlight. Each student works with a partner and chooses a spot to stand. One student stands still while the other traces their shadow on the sidewalk. Come out periodically throughout the day to re-trace shadows from the same standing position and observe how the shadow moves. Record in journal or on shadow worksheet.
If you would like the shadow worksheet, please leave a comment below.
Book to use when teaching shadows: Shadows by April Pulley Sayre
photo 1 credit: crayola.com
photo 2 credit: scholastic.com