What this lesson teaches
Children learn how light travels and creates shadows through direct interaction. This activity helps them understand the concept of light sources and the sizes and shapes of shadows produced by different objects.
Science in Action
Can you finish shape your shadow stories in about 30 min?
Shape Your Shadow Stories
You will children learn how light travels and creates shadows through direct interaction.
Duration30 min
Age GroupAges 7–8
DifficultyBeginner
SubjectScience
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What you need
How the activity runs
The learning connection
By engaging in shadow play, children witness the immediate effects of light on objects, reinforcing the principles of light and shadow through embodied cognition. As they manipulate various items, they grasp the relationship between light direction and shadow formation.
Try it with your learner
1. Find a flashlight or a lamp. 2. Choose various objects from home (toys, hands, etc.). 3. Turn off other lights, then shine the flashlight on the objects. 4. Move the light closer and further away to see how shadows change size. 5. Trace the shadows on paper with a pencil to capture their shapes. 6. Share your favorite shadow shape with your family — what did you create?