Shadow Changes
This lesson uses flashlights and Lego pieces to help students explore how the length of shadows changes throughout the day and throughout the year. At the end of the lesson they will understand that the position of the Sun in the sky determines the length of shadows and that the change in the Sun’s position relates to the change in seasons. We can offer this program virtually by droping the supplies off with you and instructing the lesson over Zoom.
Kindergarten Cross Disciplinary Concepts: Patterns in the natural and human designed world can be observed and used as evidence.
Kindergarten Vocabulary: cloudy, cold, rainy, sunny, snowy, temperature, warm, windy
5th Grade Cross Disciplinary Concepts: Similarities and differences in patterns can be used to sort, classify, communicate, and analyze simple rates of change for natural phenomena.
5th Grade Vocabulary: brightness, distance, magnitude, position, star, sun
Science Standards This Program Meets
5-ESS1-2 Earth’s Place in the Universe
- Grade: 5th Grade
- Discipline: Earth & Space Science
Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky.
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K-PS3-1 Energy
- Grade: Kindergarten
- Discipline: Physical Science
Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth’s surface.
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About Wyoming Stargazing
Wyoming Stargazing is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Jackson Wyoming that excels at making the often difficult to understand concepts of astronomy accessible to everyone. Our mission is to inspire and educate through Wyoming’s extraordinary skies. We offer public and private stargazing programs, solar astronomy programs, planetarium programs, as well as other indoor astronomy presentations. Our vision is to build an observatory and planetarium in Jackson Hole.
View All Programs Visit Website| Who | We work with all age groups from Preschool - Adults. |
| What | We offer engaging indoor and outdoor lessons that cover Earth and Space Science, Motion and Stability, Energy, and Technology standards. |
| When | Our classroom-based and planetarium programs can take place any time of year. Stargazing Programs are best suited for the beginning or end of the school year. |
| Where | We can bring our lessons to your classroom and our planetarium to your school gym, cafeteria, or multipurpose room. Stargazing can take place on any playing field near your school. |
| Why | Astronomy is a “gateway science”. It’s a hook that can get students excited about science who otherwise might never think about science as a career path. We excel at making difficult to grasp concepts about the Universe understandable for everyone and our portable space theater brings the Universe right to your students’ fingertips. |