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My Shadow

Children will learn about how shadows form and then outline each other's shadows using sidewalk chalk.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

Gather all the supplies needed to bring your craft ideas to life! From paints and markers to glue and scissors, our crafts section has everything to spark creativity and make every project truly special.

Steps

  • Step 1

    Explain to children that a shadow is a dark shape that appears on the ground or a wall when something blocks the light. The light could come from the sun or from an electric or battery-powered light source such as a lamp or a flashlight. Light cannot travel through objects, so a shadow will appear if something obstructs the light source.

  • Step 2

    Take the class outside on a sunny day. Find a safe area, perhaps a sidewalk or playground, and have children observe their shadows. Have them form pairs and then take turns using sidewalk chalk to outline each other's shadow. Encourage them to experiment with various positions before they decide which one to use for this art experience. After the partner draws the outline, each child will fill their shadow with sidewalk chalk.

  • Step 3

    When everyone is done the children can write their names near their shadows and enjoy looking at the panorama of their class shadows in various positions.

Standards

SCI: Ask questions about the features of phenomena observed and conclusions drawn from investigations or models. 

SCI: Plan and conduct investigations to determine the effect of placing objects made with different materials in the path of a beam of light.

Adaptations

Have the class collaborate to create a shadow puppet show. Demonstrate how to create various shadow puppets, such as a bird, dog, bunny, or anything else by shining a light on the wall and then positioning and moving your hands around in the light source.

Encourage children to play shadow tag during an outdoor recess period. This is like regular tag, but the person who is "it" tries to tag another player by stepping on their shadow.