Land-Based Learning: Light and Shadows

Capturing Shadows in Nature

On October 6, we went on a Community Walk with the purpose to start exploring our Light and Shadows unit for Science. We had a really good conversation about light sources (the sun), and how a shadow is created (when the light source is blocked by an object). We know the shadow is formed on the opposite side from the light source. 

Then, we went down onto the river pathway to capture some shadows in nature. We were given the choice of what we sketched (any natural object big or small) and what medium we used (pencil or watercolour crayon with water brush). 

Some things we liked or learned from this activity are: 

"I liked that we could sketch anything we wanted. It just had to be in nature. We got to sketch the shadow as well." ~ OO

"I liked that we could practice shading." ~ Yulia

"We did this activity to find the shadows of nature." ~ Pranay

"I really liked how you could see nature for a really long time." ~ Oscar

"I really found it interesting how our shadow was opposite the sun." ~ Asma

"I found it interesting that if a certain light source is on a different side, your shadow will be on the opposite side." ~ Henry

"I liked how we could use watercolour brushes and pencil crayons to make our details realistic." ~ HR

"I really liked everyone's drawings." ~ ES

"I liked how we had to draw the shadows." ~ Mary Jane

"I liked how we had more time so we could focus on the details, shade it, and give it colour." ~ Greta

Today, we went on the compound to outline our shadows with chalk to see how they moved throughout the day. We went at different times. We could see how tall, thin, skinny, or thick they got as the sun moved. 

Here is what we did: We traced our footsteps. We worked in partners. We stood in our footsteps. Our partner used chalk to trace our shadows. We had to hold our pose as they traced. We had to remember our pose and do the same pose each time we went outside. When our shadow was traced completely, we had to measure the length of our shadow with our feet.

Written as a Class with Ms Elder

Measuring with Non-Standard units

"I saw my shadow was taller in the morning and when we went out after recess, it looked smaller and more realistic." ~ OO

"Every time we went outside, our shadow would change and that was fascinating." ~ Greta

"I saw my shadow. first, it was really tall and skinny. The second time we went outside, I saw it got fat and short. When I measured it with my feet, I saw it was smaller." ~ Melody

"The Earth rotates around the sun in its own orbit. When it rotates, some of the parts away from the sun gets night. The part that gets sun is day. When the sun hits an object it creates a dark shadow on the ground." ~ Thanve

"I liked how we did this outside and my shadow was long when we went in the morning and really short when we went around lunch." ~ Mary Jane

"I think my shadow will get lighter. The Earth rotates from the sun so when we are blocking, the sun doesn't shine so it will be equal." ~ Asma

"I liked how both of the partners got to get traced." ~ SG

"I noticed that the further away your shadow is from your body, it is blurry." ~ Yulia

"I would recommend the shadow would almost disappear. It will be close to night. Shadows will become tall because lights aren't on the top they're at the side." ~ ZA

"What we did in the shadow activity is me and Derek was tracing our shadows in the morning and some minutes ago then we saw the shadow was smaller like a leprechaun." ~ Pranay

"I think it will stay the same but it will keep getting bigger and bigger until it's gone at the end of the day." ~ Henry

Documenting our Measurements and Observations