3 Developmental Lesson Plan

Teacher Candidate: Amanda Salomon Date: 3/14/21

Group Size: 25 Allotted Time: 60 minutes Grade Level: Kindergarten

Subject or Topic: Lesson 3, The sun and shadows

Common Core/PA Standard(s):Standard - 3.3.1.B1

Explain why shadows fall in different places at different times of the day.

Learning Targets/Objectives:
● The kindergarten students will be able to observe why shadows move throughout the
day by doing an outside inquiry
● The kindergarten students will be able to explain shadows by playing an educational
game

Assessment Approaches: Evidence:

1. Transparent, Translucent, Opaque 1. Students will sort cards into three
cards categories with there table mates
2. Shadows data collection sheet 2. Students will become scientist and
collect data through the inquiry
Assessment Scale:
1. Students will be graded on correctness. The teacher will also take into account that
they are working with a group and not alone
1 card correct in each category- understands the content but needs work
2 cards correct in each category- proficient
3 cards correct in each category- above profiction
0 cards correct in a certain category- needs work and will go over before the inquiry

2. Students will be graded on correctness

Question number 1 incorrect on either day- teacher needs to make sure student is paying
attention during inquiry because they are directly drawing off of the placement of what there
seeing outside
Question 2 incorrect on either day- teacher will make sure to help student with
understanding the different sizes of shadows
● Student should at least get one question correct each day to get a check mark

Subject Matter/Content:
● The sun and its shadows
Prerequisites:
 ● In depth knowledge about light and reflections (learned in lesson 1)
○ Understanding that any type of object you can hold can be reflected
○ Understanding that color can also be reflected
● In depth knowledge about light and how (indoor) energy sources can change objects
○ Understanding knowledge that lamps, laser pointers and t.v. light can all make
an object look different when presented onto a surface
Key Vocabulary:
● Sunlight- the light of the sun; sunshine.
● Shadow- the dark image cast on some surface by a person or thing blocking the light
of the sun or another source of light.
● East- the direction in front of a person facing the rising sun.
● West- the direction behind a person facing the rising sun.
● Blocking- something that slows down or obstructs.
● Arch- a curved structure.
● Transparent- letting light pass through and giving a clear view of objects on the other
side.
● Translucent- letting only some light through so that what can be seen on the other
side is not clear.
● Opaque- not letting light pass through.
Content/Facts:
● How does the sun move throughout the day?
○ The sun rises in the east in the morning and sets in the west
○ Throughout the day the sun follows an arch as it climbs higher reaching its
peak back down to lower
○ The sun is always moving 24/7
● What factors affect the position of the sun?
○ The tilt of the earth's axis affects how fast the sun rises and set
○ We can see this because in the winter it gets dark around 6Pm although in the
summer it gets dark around 9PM
● Why do shadows get bigger and smaller when an object is put in front of the sun?
○ Depending on the time of day the sun may be closer or farther away from the
ground
○ The closer the sun is to the ground the bigger the shadow will be because the
object is blocking more light
○ The farther the sun is to the ground the farther the shadow will be because
the object is blocking less light
○ Although we may not be able to physically see the sun closer or farther from
the object like we could using lamps inside it scientifically does move different
distances from the ground
● Why does your shadow move outside?
○ As we said before the sun moves throughout the day in an arch
○ Shadows will move the opposite way of the sun meaning they will move from
west to east
○ When you look up if you see the sun is on your left you should look down and
 see your shadow is on your right
○ When the sun is at its peak meaning when you look up it’s directly above you,
your shadow will be pointing north
● What type of objects are transparent?
○ letting light pass through and giving a clear view of objects on the other side.
○ air, water and clear glass are all examples of transparent objects
● What type of objects are translucent?
○ letting only some light through so that what can be seen on the other side is
not clear
○ tissue paper, wax paper and tinted windows are all examples of translucent
objects
● What type of objects are opaque?
○ not letting light pass through
○ concrete, wood and your body are all examples of opaque objects
● Why does your body make a shadow when the sun is shining outside?
○ Your body is similar to an object meaning it’s opaque
○ Light cannot pass through your body therefore it makes a shadow

Introduction/Activating/Launch Strategies:
● To get the students excited about shadows the teacher will ask the students if
anyones has seen there shadow
● Students should raise their hand and start getting excited to talk about when and
where they saw their shadow
● The teacher will then ask the students “has anyone been a little scared of their
shadow, it can come out of nowhere right”
○ After the students have a discussion about this the teacher will reassure
students that there shadow is nothing to be afraid of
● She will now tell the students that we’re going to learn what shadows actually are so
you will know next time you see your shadow
Development/Teaching Approaches
● DAY ONE:
● When students walk into the classroom there will be individual chrome books set up
at their desk
● Students will log onto the following website to play the “shadow shapes game”
○ https://whyy.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/buack2-sci-
shadowshapes/shadow-shapes/#.YE5kly9h2fU
○ during this game students will be prompted to move objects closer and farther
away from a light source watching what happens to the objects
● After playing this game for about five to ten minutes students will share outloud what
they learned
○ students answers should have the following vocabulary in it:
■ closer and farther
■ bigger and smaller
● The teacher will then reiterate from the content section what transparent,
 translucent and opaque objects are
● With there table of 5 students will do an activity to understand more about these
words
○ At each table there will be a set of object that will consist of
■ a glass, tissue paper, a fake apple etc.
○ students will get different objects on a card, they will sort these objects into
one of the three correct categories working together as a group
○ once they have sorted there cards they will glue them down and put there
name on the paper
● Students will now be handed a shadows data collection sheet
● As a class we will go out in the morning to begin our shadow inquiry
○ students will have an assigned partner
○ partners will walk outside where there are set up pieces of chalk around the
blacktop
○ once they find there space student A will lay on the ground while student B
traces them
○ once student B is done tracing student A will find, student B will find student
A’s shadow which should be close by and also trace that
● The teacher will walk around the entire time helping struggling students
● The teacher will also remind the “tracers” to be respectful of their friends who are
being traced and to watch out that they don't step on their fingers etc.
● Once the pairs have finished tracing they will be instructed to sit on the ground and
talk about why they think there shadow is in the position that it is
● Once all pairs have finished tracing students will be directed to grab there shadow
data collection sheet
○ students will collect data on the top half of this paper on what they notice
about there shadow
○ Ex:
■ the position it’s in compared to where student A was laying
■ how big or small it is compared to where the sun is
■ any additional thoughts
● The class will now go back inside and sit on the big rug
● The teacher will ask the students what they think is going to happen to our shadows
when we go outside tomorrow afternoon
● Students will raise their hand and take educated guesses based on what they have
learned so far
● Students will directed to put there shadow data collection sheet in there folders until
tomorrow so they can compare there shadow from today and tomorrow
● To end today's lesson the students will do a quick write (draw)/brainstorm
● The teacher will stand in the front of the room and tell the students to draw her
○ The students will have a couple minutes to draw their teacher
● The teacher will then ask the students to draw where they think her shadow would be
if the sun was directly above her
○ The students again will have a couple minutes to draw the teachers shadow
● This activity will not be accessed it's just a fun way for the students to get excited to
continue to learn about shadows
● Students will have fun drawing and coloring there teacher and her shadow
● DAY TWO:
● As a class the teacher will remind the students of our activity yesterday
● The class will head outside in the afternoon and go back to there shadow spots with
their partner
● Student A will lay back down in there spot and student B will trace their shadow
○ there shadow should now be in a different spot since it's a different time of
day
● Once they are done tracing they will once again sit down on the black top
● They then once again will fill out the bottom half of their shadow data collection sheet
○ students will be asked the same questions
■ the position it’s in compared to where student A was laying
■ how big or small it is compared to where the sun is
■ any additional thoughts
● Once we are back inside as a class the teacher will ask the students what happened to
your shadow from the morning to the afternoon? Did it change its position? Did it get
bigger or smaller? Why?
● The teacher will reiterate to the students the reason there shadow was in a different
position then yesterday
● This is because the sun moves in arch throughout the day making your shadow move
the opposite way
○ students will then be directed to write a very short and simple sentence on the
back of there shadow data collection sheet about what happen to there
shadow
■ the sentence can be as simple as “my shadow was in a different place
as yesterday” or “my shadow was bigger than yesterday”
■ this sentence will show the teacher that they realized there shadow
had changed in some way from the day prior
● There will be key words on the bored for the students to reference when writing
there sentence
● The teacher will connect some of the vocabulary we learned earlier into this lesson
○ She will remind the students about transparent, translucent and opaque
objects
○ She will then ask the students which type of objects make shadows
● During this the teacher will use wait time, she will tell students to put there thumb up
once they have there answer
● Once the majority of the class is ready the teacher will ask the students who think
transparent objects make shadows to raise their hands
○ she will go through the other two types of objects doing this
● Students should raise their hand during opaque
● The teacher then will finally reiterate why opaque objects make shadows for students
who may have raised their hand on a different type of object
 ●

Closure/Summarizing Strategies:
● Students will now clean up there area by putting all there papers in the proper bin
● They will then come back to the big rug where the teacher will be
○ The teacher will now ask the students if anyone is afraid of their shadow now
that we have learned about it
● The teacher will read the book moonbear's shadow by Frank Asch
○ This book shows the bear being afraid of his shadow but then learning what it
is and not being afraid anymore
● This book will tie the entire lesson together for the students
● Before the lesson is entirely over the teacher will briefly mention two types of light
○ artificial and natural light
● The teacher will tell the students to keep these words in mind for tomorrow's lesson

Accommodations/Differentiation:
● Student A has ADHD
● Student A will be designated as one of the tracers during the activity
○ doing this he will be able to have something in his hands (chalk) at all times
and be moving around
○ he will be involved and active throughout the whole inquiry
○ student A and his pair will also be one of the closest groups to the teacher to
make sure they’re on track and not struggling
Follow all IEPs

Materials/Resources:
● Chrome books (25)
● Shadow shapes game website
○ https://whyy.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/buack2-sci-
shadowshapes/shadow-shapes/#.YE5kly9h2fU
● Transparent, translucent and opaque card game (5, one per table)
○ Idea from: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Shadows-Sun-and-
Moon-Leveled-Passages-1609351?st=19aa6b6f3babd7427d5cd53ae2246746
● Glue (25)
● Writing utensils (25)
● Shadows data collection sheet (25)
● Once box of chalk
● Children's dictionary
○ https://kids.wordsmyth.net/we/?ent=shadows
Reflective Response:
Report of Student Learning Target/Objectives Proficiency Levels

Remediation Plan (if applicable)

Personal Reflection Questions

Additional reflection/thoughts
Transparent, Translucent and Opaque cards by Amanda Salomon
Shadow data collection sheet by Amanda Salomon