lesson plan

Lesson
Student Activities
Content Knowledge
Assessment Activities
Resources

SACSA Links
Key Competencies
Essential Learnings
1

Opening Activity:
What is a shadow? Brainstorm ideas and record for future reference.
Investigate shadow outside.

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Examine prior learning		 Discuss what you found out.

Record you and your shadow in pictorial form.

* sunny day

* materials for recording

 1, 2 Thinking; exploring environments, integrating sensory information to plan for and engage in activities
Lesson
Student Activities
Content Knowledge
Assessment Activities
Resources

SACSA Links
Key Competencies
Essential Learnings
2
 Design and make shadow puppets from light card and popsticks. Locate a light source to use.

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Note what happens to the shadow when shapes have been cut out inaccurately.

How can you include features such as eyes, teeth and colour?

Investigate shadows at regular intervals during the day; trace around object eg the shadow of a child / bottle / stick on a stand, at each timed interval.

Note the changes in size, shape and position.
Record one smaller example (eg. bottle) on paper, marking the time intervals of each tracing. Discuss findings.		 Knowledge and understanding of shadow puppets.

Safety issues when using light sources (eg. To not stare directly into the sun)		 Discuss what you found out.

What did you notice?

Why did it happen?

* light card

* overhead projector

* chalk

* paper

* scissors

*sunshine

* objects suitable for tracing

* popsticks

 1, 2, 6 Thinking; applies creative thinking to the generation of ideas and solutions
Lesson
Student Activities
Content Knowledge
Assessment Activities
Resources

SACSA Links
Key Competencies
Essential Learnings
3
 Investigating Tasks:
Can you find shadows inside? Discuss the object and light source (ie. external light, fluoros, spotlight).

Use an overhead projector to investigate shadow making using hands and/or other objects, and with the light source coming from different angles. Can you make it bigger, smaller, different shape, clearer?

How can we make the shadows appear on a different wall?

Experiment using the children's ideas.
Play "Guess the Object" to predict the object from it's shadow.

Knowledge of range of light sources.

Direction of light in relation to object and shadow sequence.

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 (None for this lesson)

* classroom lights

* overhead projector

* assorted objects

 6

Thinking; applies creative thinking to the generation of ideas and solutions
Lesson
Student Activities
Content Knowledge
Assessment Activities
Resources

SACSA Links
Key Competencies
Essential Learnings
4

Consolidation: discoveries - what did you find out?

Return outside with the original picture drawn in the opening assessment activity. Try to recreate this, showing the relationship of your body to the shadow. Are you able to do this? Why? / Why not?

Possible discussion question is 'What would happen if we had 2 suns?'

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 Position of light sources and shadow formation. Children individually, in pairs or in small groups, demonstrate what they have found out about shadows.

Presentation can be in any format and could be part of Show and Tell.

Teacher may make anecdotal assessment notes.

* drawn assessment picture

* sunny day

 6 Communication; conveying information and representing ideas using verbal and nonverbal communication