5

Unit 1 Shadows
Classroom Close-Up
Welcome to Azizas class-
room! Find out how she and
her kids explore shadows.
Look for stories, drawings,
and photos from Azizas
classroom throughout this
shadow exploration.
Photo: Dina Mardell
6 Learning Goals
7 Classroom Resources
Gather materials and books for your shadow explorations.
8 Roll Up Your Sleeves! Teacher Preparation
Learn about shadow science and plan your curriculum
by trying out the materials your kids will use.
10 Lets Explore: Outdoor Shadows
The sun is shining! Start your shadow study outdoors.
15 Lets Explore: Indoor Shadows
Lamp Shadows
Create shadows and fnd 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 Reection
23 Classroom Close-Up
Unit 1
Explore Shadows
DVD E xpl or e S hadows
Peep Story: Night Light 8:45 minutes
Kids Explore: Making Shadows 1:30 minutes
Watching Shadows Change 1:30 minutes
Playing with Shadow Puppets 1:30 minutes
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.
6
Science
As children explore shadows, they will begin to understand the following
key science concepts:
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 scientifc 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.
Learning
Goals
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
nd out.
Aziza, preschool teacher
7
Unit 1 Shadows
Classroom
Resources
Gather supplies for Unit 1: Explore Shadows. We have provided a list of all the materials youll need. Then,
fll your classroom with shadow-related books to spark kids curiosity and keep their interest high.
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 frst 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.
Bulla, Clyde Robert. What Makes a Shadow?
Harper Collins, 1994.
Dorros, Arthur. Me and My Shadow. Scholastic, 1990.
Gore, Sheila. My Shadow.
Doubleday, 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.
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.
Story Books...with Extension Activities
Materials
Nonction Books
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
fashlights
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 100-
watt bulb and/or
slide projector
Mini Shadow Theater
shoeboxes (or other
cardboard boxes)
wax paper
scissors, tape
fashlights
small objects with
interesting shapes
8
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.
Teacher Reection
As you explore, we encourage you to refect 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
refections.
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.
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?
Roll Up Your Sleeves!
Teacher Preparation
Photo: Natalie Hebshie
Shadow Science
What is a shadow?
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.
9
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?
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 signifcant amount of time freely exploring lamp shadows
on their own.
Indoor Shadows with Flashlights
With fashlights, 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 fashlight (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 fashlight above the object and shine it straight down?
2 What happens when you shine the fashlight on the side of the object?
Whats the longest, skinniest shadow you can make?
3 Move your fashlight in a circle above the object. What happens to its shadow?
4 Turn off your fashlight and point it at an object. Can you predict where the
shadow will fall when you turn on the fashlight?
5 What happens when you shine two fashlights 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?
Shadow Science
When you hold an object close
to a light source (such as a lamp
or fashlight), the object blocks a
lot of light and the shadow is big
and fuzzy.
When you hold an object far from
a light source, the object only
blocks a little light, and the
shadow is small and sharp.
Unit 1 Shadows
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.
10
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
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 fnd 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?
Reect 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
specifc directions. Then, engage children with the focused shadow activities
described next. These activities can be spread over two to three weeks.
Lets Explore
Outdoor Shadows
Classroom Close-Up
Yesterday on the play-
ground, 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 rst 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 remen and cake
makers and monsters and
swingers and became
shadow makers too!
Aziza, preschool teacher
11
Unit 1 Shadows
Explore Outdoor Shadows
Shadows: A Closer Look
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 fnd 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)
Reect 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?
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).
Unit 1 Shadows
Activity Key Science Concepts
Photo: Theresa Montgomery
12
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.
Reect 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
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?
You can change the shape
of your shadow by moving
and turning.
Two people can combine
their shadows to make a
different shape.
Activity Key Science Concepts
Photo: Theresa Montgomery
DVD: Making Shadows
Kids play with shadows indoors.
Then they go outdoors and trace
their shadows.
13
Unit 1 Shadows
Shrinking and Stretching
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)
Reect 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?
Was Hashims shadow also shortest at lunchtime?
When were the shadows the longest?
For the next few days before you go out, tell the kids the time of day and help
them fnd 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)
Moving Shadows
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?
Activity Key Science Concept
Outdoors, the shape, size,
and position of a shadow
change over the course of
the day as the suns position
changes.
Outdoors, the shape, size,
and position of a shadow
change over the course of
the day.
Activity Key Science Concept
Photo: Theresa Montgomery
14
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
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.
Reect and Share
Outside, invite small groups of kids to share their shadow discoveries.
Look! Jonah and Ravi traced the fowerpot 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 fnd out?
What other shadows could we trace?
DVD Connection
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?
DVD: Watching
Shadows Change
Children trace shadows outside.
Later in the day they notice how
the shadows have moved.
15
Unit 1 Shadows
Lets Explore
Indoor Shadows
Creating shadows indoors with lamps, fashlights, 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 fashlight, 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.
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.
Free Exploration
Allow plenty of time for kids to explore lamp shadows freely, without specifc
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.
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
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.
16
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.
Reect and Share
Bring small groups to the Lamp Shadow Center and invite them to
share their shadow discoveries.
DVD Connection
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 fnd in the dump?
How did Peep and Quack change the size of their shadows?
What new things could we do with shadows?
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?
Activity Key Science Concept
You can change the size of
a shadow by moving an
object closer to or farther
from the light.
Explore Lamp Shadows
Activity 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.
Photo: Tanit Sakakini
DVD: Night Light
Quack and Peep fnd a fashlight
and have fun making big and little
shadows.
17
Unit 1 Shadows
Reect 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: fashlights 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 foor 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 fashlight, they will try to fnd
the shadow. Have children join you in a countdown: 3, 2, 1 . . . Flashlight! Shine
the fashlight on an object (such as a cup on a table) and let the class fnd and
identify the shadow. Keep playing the game as long as kids are interested.
Explain the rules for using fashlights. Then hand out fashlights and let kids
practice turning different fashlights on and off (by pushing a button, by
squeezing the sides, etc.).
Free Exploration
Allow plenty of time for kids to explore fashlight shadows freely, without
specifc directions. Then introduce the focused fashlight shadow
activities on pages 1819.
Flashlight Rules
Do not shine the light in peoples eyes.
Turn fashlights off when youre done so you dont waste the batteries.
Explore Lamp Shadows
18
All Sorts of Shadows
Shine a ashlight 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 fashlight. Whats happening to
the shadow? Can you do that, too?
What if you hold the fashlight above the object and shine the light
straight down? What do you see?
What happens if you move the fashlight around in circles?
Lets shine the fashlight 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 fashlight shadows to choose one thing
they would like to share in small groups.
Reect and Share
In small groups, invite kids to bring an object and a fashlight to demonstrate
something they have discovered.
Show us a shadow you can make with a fashlight.
Whats different about making shadows with a lamp and with
a fashlight? 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?
Activity Key Science Concept
As you move a fashlight
around an object, the
objects shadow moves and
the length and shape of the
shadow changes.
Explore Flashlight Shadows
Photo: Tanit Sakakini
19
Unit 1 Shadows
Making Many Shadows
Use several ashlights to make multiple shadows.
1 Encourage two kids to both shine their fashlights 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 fashlight on the object. What do you think
will happen?
3 Heres a way a small group can demonstrate and discuss multiple shadows.
Gather 34 fashlights and a small object. Darken the room and hand out
the fashlights. Ask the children with fashlights to sit in a semi-circle around
the object. As you say a name, have that child turn on a fashlight and
shine it at the object. Let children point out the shadow. With the frst child
continuing to shine the light on the object, ask the next child to turn on
his or her fashlight 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)
Reect 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?
Tell us about some of the different places you made shadows.
What light did you use to make the shadows?
Whats different about making shadows inside and outside?
Each light source directed
at an object will create a
shadow.
Explore Flashlight Shadows
Activity Key Science Concept
Photo: Theresa Montgomery
20
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!
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 fnd 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.
Reect 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?
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 Key Science Concepts
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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Unit 1 Shadows
Mini Shadow Theater
Guess what object is making a shadow.
Materials: shoeboxes (or other cardboard boxes), wax paper or white paper,
tape, fashlight, 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 fashlight inside
the box and shine the light on the paper. Place an object between the fashlight
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.
Reect 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.
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.
Activity Key Science Concepts
Photo: Tanit Sakakini
Photo: Tanit Sakakini
22
1 What was the most satisfying part of the Explore Shadows unit for you and your students?
Outdoor shadow play? Experimenting with fashlights? 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,
specifc 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?
Teacher Reection
Explore Shadows
As teachers, we grow by refecting on our classroom experiences and using those refections to inform and
improve our instruction. The following questions may help you refect on the successes, surprises, and challenges
of Unit 1: Explore Shadows. You may want to jot some notes in the spaces below.
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Unit 1 Shadows
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 gured 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 guring 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 gured 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.
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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.
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Unit 1 Shadows
Reections
Ive never been a science person. At rst, 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 kid-
watcher. 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 at 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.