Unit Plan 20 (Grade 1 Science): Shadows Over the Day

Focus: Compare shadow length and shadow direction across a full day to describe patterns and make simple predictions about the sun’s position.

Grade Level: 1

Subject Area: Science (Earth & Space Science • Patterns)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 30–45 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this unit, students investigate how shadows change from morning to midday to afternoon. Using safe observation routines (no looking directly at the sun), students study shadows made by a fixed object (a shadow stick) and by their own bodies. They record observations with drawings, simple measurements (short/medium/long or “hand spans”), and directional arrows.

Across the week, students look for patterns: shadows often appear long in the morning, shorter around midday, and long again later in the day—while the direction of the shadow changes as the sun appears in a different part of the sky. Students use these patterns to predict what a shadow might look like at a given time. The unit ends with a Shadow Timeline Poster/Book that explains the daily shadow pattern with clear visuals and student-friendly language.

Essential Questions

• What do we notice about shadows at different times of day?
• How do shadow length and shadow direction change from morning to midday to afternoon?
• What pattern can we describe from our observations?
• How can we use this pattern to predict what a shadow will look like later?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Make safe observations of shadows at different times of day using a fixed object and/or their own bodies.
2. Record shadow observations using drawings, simple measurements (hand spans), and direction arrows.
3. Compare shadow length and direction in the morning, midday, and afternoon.
4. Describe a daily pattern in shadows and connect it to the sun’s changing position in the sky (as observed).
5. Create a Shadow Timeline Poster/Book that shows the pattern and includes a simple prediction statement.

Standards Alignment — Grade 1 (NGSS-Aligned)

• 1-ESS1-1 — Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted.
  • Example: Observe that shadows change in length and direction over a day and use the pattern to predict a later shadow.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can observe shadows safely (I do not look at the sun).
• I can draw and label shadows in the morning, midday, and afternoon.
• I can tell if a shadow is longer or shorter and which way it points.
• I can describe a pattern that happens to shadows across the day.
• I can use the pattern to predict what a shadow will look like at a certain time.