Little Warriors: Shadow Detectives and A Sale!!!

Need a quickly prepped, super FUN, hands on and meaningful activity for Monday?? This is a lesson that your students will LOVE and one that they will never forget!! That's the BEST kind of learning!!!

Ok, so first thing you're going to need is a few flashlights!!! I have one in my classroom and raided the custodian's storage room to find three more!!!!!!!!! :)

Now your students need to cut out their little detective hats and groundhog puppets to prepare for the experiment!! You can also give them a "shadow detective" badge to wear. I made those after we did the activity....I thought it needed a big more cuteness :)

Now it's time to ask the essential question!!! What kind of day do you think you need for Groundhog to see his shadow??? Have the kids make their predictions!

Once they have recorded what they think, turn all the lights OFF!! Block any light coming through windows or doors and turn off your projector and computer!! :)

Let the kids take their groundhogs around the dark room to see if they can find a shadow for him. Give them some "exploring" time. Then, call them back to their spots to regroup and discuss their findings. (you can turn the lights on for this :)

The students determine that you can not find a shadow for him in the dark. Have them record their answers.

Now, turn the lights back off. This time the students take their groundhogs and flashlights around the room. Can you find a shadow for groundhog now that you have flashlights?? YES!!!!!!!!!!

Encourage further exploration. What happens when you move the flashlight away from groundhog?? What happens when you move the light closer to him??

Have another student be a "cloud" that is drifting along. Have the cloud move between the light and the groundhog. What happens??

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!!! I cannot even tell you how much fun my kids had with this activity!!!! I think part of the fun was that THE LIGHTS WERE OFF AT SCHOOL!!!!! Ha! :) But, they were also so AMAZED at all the different things that the light did to the shadow. You can make a shadow grow???????? Shut the front door!!!!! Just amazing!!!! :)

Here are some of the response sheets that my kiddos did. I love reading all of their different discoveries!!!!

1. "When you put in a cloud, it blocks the light."

2. "When the sun comes out, it makes a shadow."

3. "If it (the light) moves back, it (the shadow) will get bigger."

4. "Light makes a shadow."

After we completed our experiment we read a really FUN book called Bear's Shadow. It explains even further what happens to a shadow as the sun moves across the sky and the day goes on. It also talks about what happens when the light source is blocked.

One of my kinders took this pic of me introducing the book!!! Ha!!

You will also definitely want to check out this awesomely perfect interactive online activity from BBC!!!!!!! It is also another PERFECT follow-up activity to help students further understand lights and shadows and how they're made!!!!