CT Science Standard 1.1

Transcription

1 CT Science Standard 1.1 Created by: Laurel Kohl, Education Specialist, Institute for Sustainable Energy, ECSU Bryan P. Baker, Program Educator, Connecticut Science Center 1

2 Table of Contents Section Page Title Page... 1 Table of Contents... 2 Summary... 3 Inquiry Standards... 4 CT Content Standards, and CMT Correlation... 4 Grade Level Expectations and Unpacked Content Standards... 5 MA Learning Standards... 7 Safety Standards... 8 Misconceptions and Facts... 9 Pre-Visit Activities Discovery Center Activity Trail Guides Teacher Version Student Version Post-Visit Activity Performance Task Guided Investigation (Embedded Task) Teacher Manual Teacher Resources Teacher Background Information Professional Development Interdisciplinary Connections Websites Literature Links Videos Classroom Kits Home and School Connections Career Information Student Resources Websites

3 SUMMARY Objects are moving all the time. How we describe that motion depends on the words we use and an understanding of our point of view as we watch the object. Explore how to describe position in your classroom using word cards and simple toys. Increase your student s skills of observation with earth journals, and then get the point across to your students with a visit to the Connecticut Science Center, where students will make their own sundials. While visiting the Science Center, your students may deepen their understanding of motion by using CSC Trail Guides as they visit the Exploring Space, KidSpace, and the River of Life Galleries to answer questions about the 1.1 Science Standard. This program has been developed as a unit to complement some of the core themes, content standards and expected performances of the CT Core Science Frameworks, as well as the National Science Education Standards. It is a supplemental series of hands-on investigations that are inquiry-based and designed to engage students as well as to enhance and build upon their prior content knowledge. It may be integrated with other subjects or it may be taught in its entirety within the science classroom. The complete CT Core Science Curriculum Frameworks is available at the website See also: American Association for the Advancement of Science, Atlas of Science Literacy, Project In addition, Grade Level Expectations (GLEs) were released in Spring, 2009, to unpack the science content for grades K-5. Content standard 1.1 examines some of the basic concepts of position and motion. Following are the specific sections from the CT Core Science Curriculum Framework that are addressed in this unit. The A INQ information reflects the process skills intended for grades PreK-2 specifically representing the content standards of scientific inquiry, literacy, and numeracy. 3

4 INQUIRY STANDARDS Grades PreK-2 Core Scientific Inquiry, Literacy and Numeracy Content Standards Expected Performances A INQ.1 Make observations and ask questions about objects, organisms and the environment. A INQ.2 Use senses and simple measuring tools to collect data. A INQ.3 Make predictions based on observed patterns. A INQ.4 Read, write, listen and speak about observations of the natural world. A INQ.5 Seek information in books, magazines and pictures. A INQ.6 Present information in words and drawings. A INQ.7 Use standard tools to measure and describe physical properties such as weight, length and temperature. A INQ.8 Use nonstandard measures to estimate and compare the sizes of objects. A INQ.9 Count, order and sort objects by their properties. SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY Scientific inquiry is a thoughtful and coordinated attempt to search out, describe, explain and predict natural phenomena. SCIENTIFIC LITERACY Scientific literacy includes speaking, listening, presenting, interpreting, reading and writing about science. SCIENTIFIC NUMERACY Mathematics provides useful tools for the description, analysis and presentation of scientific data and ideas. A INQ.10 Represent information in bar graphs. Grade 1 Core Themes, Content Standards and Expected Performances State Framework CMT Correlation 1.1 The sun appears to move A 10. Describe how the motion of objects can across the sky in the same way every be changed by pushing and pulling. day, but its path changes gradually A 11. Describe the apparent movement of the over the seasons. sun across the sky and the changes in An object s position can be the length and direction of shadows described by locating it relative to during the day. another object or the background An object s motion can be described by tracing and measuring its position over time. 4

5 GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS 1. Compare and contrast the relative positions of objects in words (in front of, behind, next to, inside of, above or below) and numbers (by measuring its distance from another object). 2. Apply direct and indirect pushes and pulls to cause objects to move (change position) in different ways (e.g., straight line, forward and backward, zigzag, in a circle). 3. Classify objects by the way they move (e.g., spinning, rolling, bouncing). 4. Conduct simple experiments and evaluate different ways to change the speed and direction of an object s motion. 5. Observe, record and predict the sun s position at different times of day (morning, noon, afternoon or night). 6. Conduct simple investigations of shadows and analyze how shadows change as the position of the sun (or an artificial light source) changes. KEY SCIENCE VOCABULARY: position, motion, shadow, push, pull, force CT SCIENCE STANDARD 1.1.A An object s position can be described by locating it relative to another object or the background UNPACKED CONTENT STANDARDS: An object s position can be described by comparing it to the position of another stationary object. One object can be in front of, behind, next to, inside of, above or below another object. The sun s position in the daytime sky can be described relative to stationary objects on Earth. For example, the sun can be just above the treetops, high or low in the sky, or on the other side of the school. The description of an object s position from one observer s point of view may be different from that reported from a different observer s viewpoint. For example, a box of crayons between two students is near Susan s left hand but near John s right hand. When an observer changes position, different words may be needed to describe an object s position. For example, when I am sitting on the bench the sun is behind me; when I move to the slide, the sun is in front of me. The same object when viewed from close up appears larger than it does when viewed from far away (although the actual size of the object does not change.) For example, a beach ball held in one s arms appears larger than it does when viewed from across the playground. An object s position can be described using words ( near the door ), numbers (10 centimeters away from the door) or labeled diagrams. 5

6 CT SCIENCE STANDARD 1.1.B: An object s motion can be described by tracing and measuring its position over time. UNPACKED CONTENT STANDARDS: Things move in many ways, such as spinning, rolling, sliding, bouncing, flying or sailing. An object is in motion when its position is changing. Because the sun s position changes relative to objects on Earth throughout the day, it appears to be moving across the sky. Changes in the sun s position throughout the day can be measured by observing changes in shadows outdoors. Shadows occur when light is blocked by an object. An object s shadow appears opposite the light source. Shadow lengths depend on the position of the light source. Motion is caused by a push or a pull. A push or pull is called a force. An object can be set in motion by forces that come from direct contact, moving air, magnets or by gravity pulling it down toward the earth. Pushes and pulls can start motion, stop motion, speed it up, slow it down or change its direction. 6

7 MASSACHUSETTS LEARNING STANDARDS Earth and Space Science Grades PreK-2 Standard #5 Identify some events around us that have repeating patterns, including the seasons of the year, day and night. 7

8 SAFETY STANDARDS 1. First and foremost with this activity: Students must NEVER look directly at the sun!! 2. Review expectations for appropriate behavior, handling of materials and cooperative group procedures to be sure that activities are accessible and safe for all students prior to beginning these investigations. 3. Make any necessary student modifications. 4. Monitor students to be sure they are acting appropriately, handling materials accordingly, and working cooperatively. 5. For more comprehensive information on science safety, consult the following guidelines from Council of State Science Supervisors: CT State Department of Education: 8

9 MISCONCEPTIONS AND FACTS Misconceptions Facts A shadow is something that exists on its own. Shadows are "dark reflections" of objects. 1 Where shadows come from: Shadows come from me. Shadows come from other people or objects. Shadows follow you. Shadows come from clouds or the sky. Shadows come from the sun as it shines on us and reflects off us to make a shadow. 2 Light pushes the shadow away from the object to a wall, the ground, or other surface where the shadow lies. 3 The sun is moving across the sky. Shadows occur as light is blocked by an object. If there were no light there would be no shadow. If there were no object to block the light, there would be no shadow. Shadow location is determined by the location of the light source. Moving the light moves the shadow. Moving the object that is blocking the light moves the shadow. The sun appears to be moving across the sky from east to west. The movement we observe is really the Earth that is rotating, carrying us with it. We are moving relative to the position of the sun

10 PRE VISIT ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES SUMMARY The visit to the CT Science Center begins in your classroom with pre-visit activities. It is encouraged that you complete these activities as a prerequisite to prepare your students for the actual visit. It is also encouraged that you complete the post activities and follow up assessment to integrate your visit into a meaningful unit of study. Activity One: Describing Where You Are In this activity, students will make observations about the position of objects, points of view, and changes in position. Before they can make observations about the perceived movement of the sun, they must be able to demonstrate changing points of view. The emphasis in all of these activities is in building the vocabulary to describe observations made. This is done by making and comparing observations and demonstrating the meaning of positions using position cards. Science Concept The sun appears to move across the sky in the same way every day, but its path changes gradually over the seasons. Unpacked Content Standard The description of an object s position from one observer s point of view may be different from that reported from a different observer s viewpoint; when an observer changes position different words may be needed to describe an object s position. ENGAGING ACTIVITY Pre-Assessment and Post-Assessment For beginning this activity, the students will brainstorm descriptions of the location of a particular stationary object (e.g.: the flag, teacher s desk, the door, etc.) in the room. The descriptive words and phrases will be charted. At the completion of the activity, have students revisit their description of the object, and then reflect on how they would answer the same question now. Descriptions should be more complete, with more relative information given by the students after completing the activity. Materials for the classroom Print copies of the position cards (page 18). Drawing paper Crayons or makers One straight wooden clothes pin for each child (These are available at craft stores) Assorted found materials, such as fabric scraps, paper, yarn 10

11 Glue Several inflatable beach balls (or other large easily moved objects) Cardstock picture frame view finders, or paper tube telescopes Showing Position Give one card to each pair of students (making sure that all 6 positions are represented). Review what each card says, making sure that each pair understands the text on their card. 1 Ask each pair to find a way to represent their card in the room. (i.e. to demonstrate in front of the students they might stand in front of a desk or window). 2 Have the class guess what the students are trying to show. 3 Repeat asking pairs to show what their card means in a new way. 4 Ask pairs to show the meaning of their card by demonstrating that one partner is, and the other is not (i.e.: Next to -one partner is next to the door, but the other is away from the door. Above -one partner is above the piece of paper, but the other is not.) 5 Repeat using a different card for each pair (making sure that each pair understands the text of the new card). 6 Play a variation on Simon Says : a) Give each student a piece of paper and plenty of standing room to play. b) When the teacher calls out a position from one of the cards, students must demonstrate that position relative to their piece of paper. ( Inside of should be very interesting in this game!) 7 For Students - Make a drawing of yourself in the middle of your paper. At the direction of the teacher, add the following: draw a bird above you on the picture; draw grass below you on the picture; draw a friend next to you on the picture. 8 For Students - Make a clothes pin doll of yourself, decorating it with yarn, string, fabric and other found materials. a) Using the doll, ask the students to show that they are in front of ; behind ; inside of ; above ; below and next to b) Ask students to work in pairs to demonstrate the same positions, or opposite positions using their dolls. Points of View 1 Using the position cards, discuss with the class: a) Are all of the people in the class in the same position? Who is and who is not? (examples: Are we all in the classroom? Are we all in front of Mary? -who is and who is not? Are we all next to the window? -who is and who is not?) b) Choose one card. ( in front of ; behind or next to ) Have students tell where they are relative to one person in the class. (i.e. I am behind Mary ). Have Mary move. Did the students position change? What happens if Mary stays in place but all the other students change seats? Are they still behind that person? c) Did you move or is it all about position? Can you be next to someone, but not next to someone else without ever moving? 11

12 2 Place an inflated beach ball somewhere in the room. a) Ask students to use the position card words to describe their position relative to the beach ball. b) Ask students to describe another student s position relative to the ball. c) Move the beach ball but have the students stay in place - now describe your position - did it change? How? Did you move or did the ball move? 3 Give each group of 3-4 students a beach ball and a large clear area. a) Using their picture frame or telescope, place the ball on the floor, pick a place, stand still and look through your view finder at your ball. What do you see? How big is the ball? Does it fill your view finder? Safety Caution - Students should stand still to do their viewing. Tubes should not be held to the eye when moving! b) If you move to a different place how does your view of the ball change? c) Working as a team, have the group of students find the distance away from the ball where it fills the view finder. (If you line teams up with their balls placed along a wall, it will easier to make comparisons between the groups) Have one student pick a place to stand and then view the ball - does it fill the view finder? If not, have the team experiment with finding the distance that will fill their view finder. Is it the same distance for all the teams? d) What would you see if you used different sized view finders? What would you expect if you were looking at a different sized object? Try it out! 12

13 Activity Two: Making Shadows In this activity, students will make observations about the position of objects and light sources relative to the shadows they cast. The focus is that observations can be made and that there are patterns to those observations not the physics of light, or astronomy. First and foremost with this activity: Students must NEVER look directly at the sun!! Science Concept The sun appears to move across the sky in the same way every day, but its path changes gradually over the seasons. Unpacked Content Standard Changes in the sun s position throughout the day can be measured by observing changes in shadows outdoors. Shadows occur when light is blocked by an object. An object s shadow appears opposite the light source. Shadows lengths depend on the position of the light source. ENGAGING ACTIVITY Read one or more books about shadows (see literature links for possible books). Making Shadows with Lights Materials for Classroom One small bright flashlight for each team of 3-4 students. Tables covered with a sheet of newsprint or butcher paper. Drawing utensils - crayons, makers, or pencils. A darkened room. One of the clothes pin dolls from Activity One. (Or another small object representing a person.) 1 Set up stations for each group of 3-4 students using the materials listed above. 2 Have students mess around with the materials at their station and make observations about how shadows are made. Students may draw the outlines of the shadows on the paper and mark where the person was held. (Questions to ask - What happens if your person moves? What happens if your light source moves? ) 3 Review with the class what they found out about shadows, using one of the stations as a focus area and to demonstrate what the children found. Where was the light when a shadow was made? Could you make the shadow change? What happened when the light moved? When the person moved? Did the shadow look the same when either the light or the person moved? 13

14 Sun and Shadow Observations Materials for Classroom Chalk 1. Discuss with the students when and where they see their shadow. Do you see your shadow inside? Outside? On what kind of day? Does your shadow move? What makes it move? 2. Read a story about shadows. (see literature links for possible books) Activity A: Where did my shadow go? Materials for the class: Chalk in 2 colors Outdoors on a sunny day - Use a marked spot on pavement as a reference point. 1 Have one student stand on the spot. Do we see his shadow? Where? 2 Trace the shadow on the pavement. 3 Have students work in pairs to trace each other s shadow. 4 Observe where the sun is relative to the student and his shadow. Note which way the student was facing and work with the class to remember that information so it can be recreated. 5 Return to the same reference point at one or more times later in the day (ideally in one or two hour increments). Repeat the shadow tracing and sun observation. 6 Ask questions about what is happening, what is observed, what changes cause what is observed? 7 If multiple tracings are made, have students predict what they think will happen in the next tracing and draw it in with a different color chalk. When they return was their prediction correct? 8 In the classroom, discuss what you found and use your observations made in Making Shadows with Lights to explain what you saw. Activity B: Where did the sun go? Earth Travels Journal Materials for each student: Paper to draw a class picture An Earth Travels journal with a copy of the class picture Chalk Pencil Safety note You should never look directly at the sun! Looking for even a short time can damage your eyes. 14

15 1 Take the class outside to a spot where students will be able to watch the movement of the sun ideally a clear area in the playground, facing southward. 2 As a class, make a drawing on a sheet of copy paper of what you see looking south from that spot an example of your :Earth Travels sheet might look like this: Discuss as a class and agree upon what you see - Help students identify objects that you see that will help them to mark the relative position of their observations of the sun). Make copies of the class drawing for their Earth Travels journals. Staple the sheets to cardstock or cardboard to create drawing boards. 3 Take the class outside with their Earth Travels journals each hour on a sunny day. 4 Have students choose a place to stand and mark it with their name in chalk so they can return to the same place each time. 5 Use your finger to mark where you think the sun is in the sky. Check the other objects in your drawing - does it look closer to the tree than the building? 6 Mark the spot you thing the sun is on your paper and mark an A on it. Safety note You should never look directly at the sun! Looking for even a short time can damage your eyes. 7 Repeat your observations each hour, marking the new sun drawing with the next letter B, C, D, E. 8 After the second observation, ask the students to predict what they expect will happen. Draw this on the teachers sheet. Did your prediction work? Do you notice a pattern? 15

16 Position Cards in front of next to above below behind inside of 16

17 Science Center Classroom Activity: Shadows (45 minutes) Standard: 1.1.B An object s motion can be described by tracing and measuring its position over time. Grade Level Expectations: 5. Conduct simple investigations of shadows and analyze how shadows change as the position of the sun (or an artificial light source) changes. Introduction: Students will be shown photos of the Earth from Space. Earth-from-space-unmanned-Apollo-4-Spacecraft-017-AS-501-Apollo-IV-mission medium.jpg and both show shadows on the Earth. Materials: 12 6 Styrofoam Balls 14 4 Styrofoam Balls Styrofoam Balls 30 Circular Targets (different sizes and colors preferred, paper plates will work) 1 Lamp with a 90 Watt Bulb (without a shade) PREPERATION Insert dowels through the center of the Styrofoam balls. Place the lamp on a desk in the middle of the room. Place the 30 targets on the walls around the classroom ACTIVITY 1 Spreading Shadows 1. Students will be asked to stand up and gather around the lamp. (The students should be far enough away from the light so that only one circle is formed.) 2. The teacher will turn on the lamp and turn off the lights in the classroom. 3. Students will be asked to observe the shadows that are formed. 4. Students will be asked to answer the following questions: a. Is your shadow in front of you? Behind you? Next to you? b. Is your shadow pointing towards the light? Away from the light? c. Does everyone s shadow point in the same direction? d. Who has the largest shadow? e. Does how far you are from the light change the size of your shadow? 5. The teacher will turn the lights in the classroom back on and turn off the lamp. ACTIVITY 2 On Target 1. Each student will be given a Styrofoam ball with a dowel that has been placed through the center of the ball. 17

18 2. Each student will be assigned a target. (The target should be in a different part of the room then the student, and has been placed on the wall beforehand.) 3. Students will be told that they need to hold the ball so that the shadow of the ball lands on the target they have been assigned. 4. The teacher will turn on the lamp and turn off the classroom lights. 5. The students will have to move around the room to reach the appropriate spot. ACTIVITY 3 Cover the Target 1. Students will now be told that they need to hold the ball so that the shadow of the ball completely covers the target they have been assigned. (The targets should be completely covered by the shadow, but the shadow should not extend far beyond the plate. For example, you don t want an 8 inch shadow on a 6 inch plate, or a 4 inch shadow on an 8 inch plate.) 2. The students will have to move around the room to reach the appropriate distance. 3. Students will be asked to observe that the closer they are to the light, the larger their shadow is. 4. The teacher will turn the lights in the classroom back on and turn off the lamp. 5. This activity can be repeated if time allows. ACTIVITY 4 Challenge Activity 1. Each student will be assigned a different target. (The target should be in a different part of the room then the student) 2. Students will be told that they need to hold the ball so that the shadow of the ball completely covers the target they have been assigned. (The targets should be completely covered by the shadow, but the shadow should not extend far beyond the plate. For example, you don t want an 8 inch shadow on a 6 inch plate.) 3. The students will have to move around the room to reach the appropriate spot. 4. Once the students are in their positions, the teacher will turn on the lamp and turn off the classroom lights. 5. Students will compare their results with their predictions. 6. The teacher will turn the lights in the classroom back on and turn off the lamp. 7. This activity can be repeated if time allows. When all the groups are done with the activities, the class will come together to discuss their observations and questions. The teacher will also make connections with the Earth rotation on its axis, and the Earth s orbit around the Sun. These comments will be recorded on an OWL (Observe/Wonder/Learn) chart in the front of the room. 18

19 TEACHERS TRAIL GUIDES Trail Guide Windows On Earth: 1.1 Position Visit the Exploring Space Gallery on the 5 th Floor Windows On Earth Can you spot the United States? Your state? Your town? The Earth is a really big place. What places are next to the United States? Could you go there to visit? How long would it take you to drive there? Teacher Notes: Next to and near are very relative. In large areas like the Earth, our nearest neighbors are still far away. It might take you 4 hours or more (250 miles) to drive from Hartford to the nearest place in Canada. To visit our southern neighbor, Mexico, you would travel for more than 33 hours and drive more than 2000 miles. For best results make sure the Borders are turned on. 19

20 Trail Guide Moon Projection Globe: 1.1 Position Visit the Exploring Space Gallery on the 5 th Floor Moon Projection Globe How far away is the moon? How long would it take to get to the moon in a plane? Teacher Notes: The moon is almost 239,000 miles away from the earth. Using a 747 jet would take people over 17 DAYS to reach the moon. 20

21 Trail Guide Overlook Balcony: 1.1 Position Visit the River of Life Gallery on the 6 th Floor Overlook Balcony Look down at the river. What do you see near the river? Why do you think those things are there? Do you see any shadows? Where is the sun that is making the shadow? What is the object that is blocking the sun to make the shadow? Find as many shadows as you can. Are they all on the same side of the objects? Why? Teacher Notes: Shadows are cast when an object blocks the light from a bright source (in this case the sun). If it is not a sunny day, you will see few shadows. If you spot shadows, they should all be on the opposite side of the object from the sun. 21

22 Trail Guide Stream Table: 1.1 Position Visit the River of Life Gallery on the 6 th Floor Stream Table Look at the sand in the stream table. How does the water affect the sand? Which way is the water moving? What words would you use to describe the position of the water and the sand in the Stream Table? Put a bridge, plant, or other object in the stream table, what words can you use to describe the position of the object you just placed? Teachers Notes Students should also realize that the water is pushing the sand down the table. If the students are ready, you can introduce them to the term erosion, if you feel it is appropriate. You can also use the Stream Table as an opportunity to introduce the concept of gravity to your students. 22

23 Trail Guide Large Vortex Tank: 1.1 Position Visit the Kid Space Gallery on the Plaza Level Please note that availability to KidSpace is limited and based on capacity and other audience considerations. Large Vortex Tank Look at the water in the large tank. What is pushing the water to make it move? Look at the balls moving in the tank. What is pushing on the balls to make them move? How do the balls get back to the top of the tank? What is used to push them up that high? Teacher Notes: The water is pushed by the four faucets at the bottom of the tank. The faucets can be turned to change the direction the water is pushed. When the faucets are pointing perpendicular to the tank, there is no vortex. When the faucets are parallel to the tank, you get a large vortex. 23

24 Trail Guide Air Tubes: 1.1 Position Visit the Kid Space Gallery on the Plaza Level Please note that availability to KidSpace is limited and based on capacity and other audience considerations. Air Tubes Place one of the balls in the tube on the right, and press the start button. Look at the ball as it moves through the tube. What is pushing the ball to make it move? Teacher Notes: When the start button is pressed a blast of air will push the balls up the tube and over the children s heads. Teacher should make sure that the students don t take the balls from the vortex tank over to the Air Tube, as they will get stuck. 24

25 STUDENTS TRAIL GUIDES Trail Guide Windows On Earth: 1.1 Position Visit the Exploring Space Gallery on the 5 th Floor Windows On Earth Can you spot the United States? Your state? Your town? The Earth is a really big place. What places are next to the United States? Could you go there to visit? How long would it take you to drive there? 25

26 Trail Guide Moon Projection Globe: 1.1 Position Visit the Exploring Space Gallery on the 5 th Floor Moon Projection Globe How far away is the moon? How long would it take to get to the moon in a plane? 26

27 Trail Guide Overlook Balcony: 1.1 Position Visit the River of Life Gallery on the 6 th Floor Overlook Balcony Look down at the river. What do you see near the river? Why do you think those things are there? Do you see any shadows? Where is the sun that is making the shadow? What is the object that is blocking the sun to make the shadow? Find as many shadows as you can. Are they all on the same side of the objects? Why? 27

28 Trail Guide Stream Table: 1.1 Position Visit the River of Life Gallery on the 6 th Floor Stream Table Look at the sand in the stream table. How does the water affect the sand? Which way is the water moving? What words would you use to describe the position of the water and the sand in the Stream Table? Put a bridge, plant, or other object in the stream table, what words can you use to describe the position of the object you just placed? 28

29 Trail Guide Large Vortex Tank: 1.1 Position Visit the Kid Space Gallery on the Plaza Level Please note that availability to KidSpace is limited and based on capacity and other audience considerations. Large Vortex Tank Look at the water in the large tank. What is pushing the water to make it move? Look at the balls moving in the tank. What is pushing on the balls to make them move? How do the balls get back to the top of the tank? What is used to push them up that high? 29

30 Trail Guide Air Tubes: 1.1 Position Visit the Kid Space Gallery on the Plaza Level Please note that availability to KidSpace is limited and based on capacity and other audience considerations. Air Tubes Place one of the balls in the tube on the right, and press the start button. Look at the ball as it moves through the tube. What is pushing the ball to make it move? 30

31 POST VISIT ACTIVITIES Investigation Summary Sundials have been used for centuries to read time. Before people had watches and clocks, they read time by the shadows made by the sun, either their own shadows or shadows of sticks or posts placed in the ground. Time is marked by the revolution of the earth and the shadows cast by the sun. Sundials can be complex, large and ornate, or very simple devices. Purpose Students will make and test a paper cup sundial. Students will then make predictions about the shadows the sundial will generate. SCIENCE CONCEPTS 1.1 The sun appears to move across the sky in the same way every day, but its path changes gradually over the seasons. Background for Teacher Adapted from; The simplest sundial is a vertical stick rising from a flat horizontal surface. As the Sun rises, passes the highest point in its path (at noon and to the south, in the northern hemisphere) and sets, the shadow rotates around the stick in a clockwise direction, and its position can be used to mark time. Indeed, it has been claimed that the "clockwise" direction in which the hands on a clock rotate was chosen for this reason. A sundial with a vertical pointer ("gnomon" pronounced NO-mon ) will indicate noon correctly when its shadow points north or south. (North in northern middle latitudes, south in southern ones, while near the equator it can be either way, depending on season.) However, the direction of the shadow at some other time of the day may depend on the season - its value in summer, when the Sun's path is high, may differ from what it is in winter, with the Sun low above the horizon. Such a sundial will however work equally well at all times if the pointer is slanted, to point towards the pole of the celestial sphere. The angle between it and the base then equals the geographic latitude of the user. (Hartford is at latitude 41.7 ) 31

32 Build a Sundial Adapted from US Department of Energy s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy office Sundials are the oldest way to tell time. The position of the sun changes during the day. The sun doesn't move; the Earth rotates around the sun, making it seem like the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. As the sun goes across the sky, the post in the center of the sundial casts a shadow on a circular plate. Marks on the plate tell you what time it is. It's just like reading a clock! Introduction: Students will be shown a time-lapse video of a sundial with the shadows moving across the face of the dial. Instructor will ask students for their predictions of what is happening in the video. Students will be reminded (if necessary) about how the sun moves through the sky. Materials: A large paper drinking cup with a plastic lid and straw for each student A permanent marker Stickers to decorate cups Tape Some small pebbles --about ¼ cup for each student. One small compass to go home with the class To Build Your Sundial: 1. Find the spot on the side of the cup marked with an X (Teacher will have to premark the spot about 2 down the side of the cup.) 2. Use a pencil to poke a hole in the side of the cup at the X. (CAUTION: Students should be told not to put their faces too close to the cup when this step is being performed!) 3. Write your name on your cup and add stickers to decorate it. 4. Put ¼ cup of pebbles in the cup so it doesn't tip over. 5. Put the lid on the cup. 6. Put the straw through the hole in the lid. 7. Put the straw through the hole in the side of the cup. 8. Let the straw stick out from the cup about half an inch and tape the straw to the cup. 9. Draw lines on the lid, predicting where the shadow will be in the morning, at lunch, and after school. 32

33 Testing your sundial Start using your sundial on the morning of a sunny day when you'll be home all day. Find a spot out in the open that is sunny from 10 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon. Look for a good, open view to the South with no trees or buildings in the way. Place the sundial on level ground or on a level table. Use the compass to find North, and point the straw to the North. Now be careful not to move the sundial. Just in case, you might want to make a mark near the bottom of the cup and on the ground or the table, so you can line them up again if they get moved. Or you can just line up the sundial to the North again using the compass. At 10 a.m., use the marker to mark where the shadow from the straw falls on the lid of the cup. Repeat this every hour until 3 p.m. Make sure your marks are neat and straight. If you have to leave or if it clouds over, you can always finish doing this a few days later you don't have to do it all in one day. Once you have marks for all the times, you're ready to use the sundial. Wait until the next day and try reading the time by comparing the shadow to the marks you made. How well can you tell what time it is? Check the mark on your cup at the same time that you noted it at the Science Center--- is the gnomon shadow the same as it was then? Note: This is a really big concept for students of all ages to understand! At this level, you should be reinforcing that although it seems like the sun is moving in the sky, it is really the Earth that is moving. Our observations change because our location changes as the earth moves! Use your compass to find north: Holding your compass, face the sun at noon time. The compass arrow will face away from the sun, as you are facing south. Turn to face the way that your compass needle was pointing. This is north. For more detailed directions on reading a compass, check out 33

34 Performance Task As a class, create a shadow play that tells how shadows are made. With the students, make a list of all of the observations you have made in your investigations. Break the observations into individual student parts for them to act out. Use a bright light and a backdrop or your overhead projector to show shadow hands for the characters that the students will act out. Invite family members or another class to your shadow story performance. 34

35 Guided Investigation Content Standard 1.1 MOVING AROUND TEACHER MANUAL Authored by Norm Barstow For the Connecticut Science Center 35

36 Moving Around A Guided Investigation of Moving Objects 1.1 Content Standard. The sun appears to move across the sky in the same way every day, but its path changes gradually over the seasons. Expected Performances: A.1. Describe how the motion of objects can be changed by pushing and pulling. A.2. Describe the apparent movement of the sun across the sky and the changes in the length and direction of shadows during the day. Grade Level Expectations The description of an object s position from one observer s point of view may be different from that reported from a different observer s viewpoint. For example, a box of crayons between two students is near Susan s left hand but near John s right hand. An object s position can be described using words ( near the door ), numbers (10 centimeters away from the door) or labeled diagrams. Teacher notes: This investigation begins with an activity to engage the children. If your desk is too heavy to move by a push or pull, think of another piece of furniture in the classroom. Learning Objective: Describe how the motion of objects can be changed by pushing and pulling. ENGAGE Step One: Teacher Notes: Have masking tape available to mark the position of your desk or other piece of classroom furniture. Try to plan this activity before your class goes to music, gym or out to recess. Activity 1. Call the students attention to your desk. 2. Ask them to describe its location in the classroom. 3. Encourage them to use location words : near the door, front of the room, etc. 4. Use masking tape to mark the 4 edges of the desk. 5. When they are not in the room, push or pull your desk to new location. 6. When the children return, ask them to look at your desk again. 7. What do they notice? Step Two: I notice, I wonder, I want to know 36

37 Teacher Notes: 1. Prepare an O.W.L chart on poster paper. 2. Go over the chart with the class. You might want to use a different word than Observe. What did they SEE or NOTICE. 3. Ask the children to Notice what happened to the desk, and note their observations on a class I OBSERVE/NOTICE chart. 4. Ask the students what they WONDER about how the desk moved. 5. Post their comments OBSERVATIONS WONDERINGS LEARNING WHAT YOU NOTICE QUESTIONS OR IDEAS YOU HAVE WHAT I HAVE LEARNED Step Three: 1. After the discussion, push the desk back into position. 2. Don t mention that you are pushing the desk. 3. Ask the children to note their observations and enter them on the O.W. L. chart. 4. Another day, move the desk again without the children in the classroom. 5. Follow the steps from Step Two. 6. After this discussion, pull the desk back into position. 7. Don t mention that you are pulling the desk. 8. Continue noting Observations, and Wonderings on the class chart. EXPLORE Investigation 1 Objective: Students will discover what makes things move. Teacher Notes: Collect or ask the students to bring in, small cars and other toys or objects. Some of them should be pull toys or you can attach a string to some of the toys or objects. Try to have equal amounts of toys/objects with string attached and without a string attached. HINT: if you cannot find equal amounts for your class groups, then several example of each would work. Grouping: you may want to divide your class into groups of 2. Procedure: 1. Ask your students to think about your desk. Call their attention to the previous OWL chart. 2. Pass out one toy or object to each group 3. Tell them make the toy/object move without picking it up. 4. Ask the children to OBSERVE what they did to make the toy/object move. 5. Complete the O.W.L chart for Investigation Possible student responses 37

38 I pushed the toy/object to make it move. I pulled the toy/object to make it move. 7. Pass out Post It notes for the students to label their responses as a push or a pull. 8. Post their observations and responses. Investigation 2 Objective: Students will discover and explain what makes things move. Teacher Notes: Materials: Collect shallow flat cardboard boxes (gift boxes without attached lids). Collect 2 sizes of glass marbles or small balls. One large and one small marble /ball for each group. Grouping: you may want to divide your class into groups of 2. Procedure: 1. Ask your students to think about the toys/objects. Call their attention to the previous OWL chart. 2. Pass out two marbles/balls and a shallow flat box. 3. Tell them to find ways to make the marbles/balls move without picking them up. The objects must stay in the box. 4. Ask the children to OBSERVE what they did to make the marbles/balls move. 5. Complete the O.W.L chart for this investigation. 6. Possible student responses I pushed the box to make them move. I pulled the box to make them move. I lifted/tilted the box to make them move. 7. Use Post It notes as part of their observations. 8. Post their observations and responses. Investigation 3 Objective: Students will discover and explain what makes things move. Teacher Notes: Materials 2 Marbles or balls for each group Drawing paper, pencils for each group OWL chart for the class Procedure: 1. Ask the children to make the marbles/balls to move against each other. 2. OBSERVE what happens to each marble/ball. 3. DRAW what you observe. 38

39 4. Use straight lines with an arrow at the end to show what happens. 5. WRITE about what happens when one marble/ball strikes another one. 6. SHARE your observations with the class. ELABORATE Experiment 1 Objective: Discovering different ways to change the position of an object. Teacher notes: Review the OWL charts and ask the children to review their Science Notebook notes. Here they have to discover a way to change the position of the ball/marble without touching it with their hands. Materials: 2 different size marbles or balls shallow flat boxes rulers or pencils straws Procedure: 1. Prepare the O.W.L. chart. 2. Pass out the materials to each group. 3. Ask them discover how many different ways they can move the marbles/balls without touching the box or the marbles/balls with their hands. 4. Talk about what makes an object move or change direction. 5. Ask the children to OBSERVE what they did to make the marbles/balls move. 6. Complete the O.W.L chart for this investigation. 7. Post their observations and responses. APPLYING THEIR FINDINGS TO SOLVE A PROBLEM Teacher notes: Synthesis: Here you tie this activity to the underlying concept. This summarizes the student s work and ties the concepts together. Literacy: Find a book with pictures and story of real world equipment- for example, bulldozer, tow truck, etc. Materials: Science Notebooks Class Charts Procedure: 1. Take your class to the playground. 2. Have them identify and demonstrate examples of push and pull. 39

40 3. In class, create a Push and Pull graph of the items or examples they found on the playground. 4. Now ask them to write down and illustrate examples of pushes and pulls in the real world. 5. Create a class book of real world pushes and pulls. 40

41 Teacher Resources Safety Disclaimer: The content of this Teacher s Resource section is intended to serve as an educational resource for teachers and students. Preparing for the safety of yourself and your students is a critical step in planning for any hands-on science- related activities. Prior to conducting any of the activities included in this resource section, please familiarize yourself and your students with any potential hazards, and take the necessary precautions appropriate for each specific activity. Connecticut Science Center is not responsible for the contents of any books, videos, websites or other resources to which we provide a reference and does not necessarily endorse the opinions, activities, services, products or information expressed within them. Teacher Background Information The source of this material is Windows to the Universe, at at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). The Regents of the University of Michigan; All Rights Reserved. The Earth is rotating around an axis (called its rotational axis). Some objects rotate about a horizontal axis, like a rolling log. Some objects, such as a skater, rotate about a vertical axis. The Earth's axis is tipped over about 23.5 from vertical. How do we define up and down in space? What would "vertical" mean? For the Earth, we can think of vertical as straight up and down with respect to the plane in which the Earth orbits the Sun (called the ecliptic). Earth's rotational axis points in the same direction relative to the stars, so that the North Pole points towards the star Polaris. Think of the Earth as a spinning top, tipped over to one side. Over very long time periods (thousands of years) the direction of Earth's axis slowly changes due to precession. The Earth rotates around once in 24 hours - that's a rate of 1000 miles per hour! The time it takes for the Earth to rotate completely around once is what we call a day. It's Earth's rotation that gives us night and day. The combined effect of the Earth's tilt and its orbital motion result in the seasons. For a much more in depth discussion about why planets rotate, visit the Ask an Astronomer site hosted by the Astronomy department of Cornell University at 41

42 Professional Development Come be a student for two days. Prior to bringing your class to the CT Science Center, you are encouraged to spend time at the Center and explore the exhibits and programs available to you and your students by participating in our two day Field Trip Professional Development Workshop. During these two days, you will have an opportunity to explore the KidSpace Gallery, Connecticut River Gallery and Exploring Space Gallery and other relevant galleries using our standards based Trail Guides. These guides will lead you and your students on the pathway toward enjoying the museum while maintaining focus on your grade level or content standard. You will also have the opportunity to participate as a learner in the pre visit, visit and post visit activities provided by the CT Science Center. In addition, you will participate in an Embedded Task aligned with content standard 1.1. Afterward, you will process the various activities and discuss their applications in your classroom and in your students learning. 42

43 Interdisciplinary Connections Language Arts Write a story or poem about Shadows individually, or as a class. Create a vocabulary list of descriptive words for use in describing position, shadows, the sunshine, and other concepts from the lesson. Art Create puppet shapes out of cut paper to make different shadows. The students can use their puppets to tell stories or to describe what they learned in science. Create your silhouette on paper using a bright light and tracing your shadow. Mathematics Measure your shadow using formal measures (yard or meter stick) or informal measurement units; such as the length of your feet, a string, or other measure. How does your shadow compare to someone else s? Students can draw and measure their shadows at different times of the day and make comparisons. Music Learn or make up a song or dance about shadows. 43

44 Websites for Teachers Information about Groundhog Day can be found at including the history of the holiday, lessons and student activities. Project Groundhog is an international web-based program for students to record the weather and shadow sighting for the 6 weeks after Groundhog s day. Information can be found at In 2008, 185 classrooms in the US and Canada participated, recording the daily temperature and sky conditions in their area. The information collected is shared weekly with the participating schools via and the Project Groundhog website. 44

45 Literature Links Award winning books about shadows from Database of Award-Winning Children's Literature Goudey, Alice E. Illus. by: Adams, Adrienne Day We Saw the Sun Come Up (1961) CH 1962; A girl and boy observe and learn about the movements of the sun, moon, and shadows throughout the day and part of the night. (Picture) de Regniers, Beatrice Schenk and Isabel Gordon Illus. by: Gordon, Isabel Shadow Book (1960) NYTBI 1960; A boy describes all the things he can do with his shadow in a day. (Picture) Goor, Ron Illus. by: Goor, Nancy Shadows : Here, There, and Everywhere (1981) ALAN 1982; Presents information about shadows, including how they are formed, why they can be of various lengths, and how they reveal the shape and texture of things.(picture) Hoban, Tana Illus. by: Hoban, Tana Shadows and Reflections (1990) ALAN 1991; BGHBH 1990; Photographs without text feature shadows and reflections of various objects, animals, and people.(picture w/o words) Moore, Lilian Illus. by: Robison, Deborah Think of Shadows : Poems (1980) ALAN 1981; A collection of thirteen poems sharing shadows as a common theme. (Picture) Karas, G. Brian Illus. by: Karas, G. Brian On Earth (2005) ALAN 2006; A simple explanation of the Earth's revolution about the sun, how it effects seasons, and the passage of time. (Picture) A listing of books about shadows is available from the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English at 45

46 Videos There is a very cool video on Metacafe (like YouTube) of shadow puppets, Raymond Crowe s A Wonderful World. Note: Use caution in calling up these sites from the classroom. The video is very appropriate for use in your class---other ads and highlights on the site are definitely not! A cleaner showing might be found at 46