Shadows

• Shadows form when an object blocks light

• Light travels in straight lines

• Objects block light, creating a dark area behind them

• The blocked light creates a shadow

​

​How Shadows Form

Draw

Draw lines showing how light travels from the Sun to create a shadow.

• Earth spins on its axis once every 24 hours

• This rotation causes day and night

• As Earth rotates, the Sun appears to move across the sky

• This movement changes shadow positions

​

​Earth's Rotation

• Early morning: Sun is low in the sky

• Shadows are very long

​​Morning Shadows

• ​Shadows point westward

Open Ended

Why do you think shadows are longest in the morning?

• At noon: Sun is highest in sky

• Shadows are shortest

• Shadows point north (in Northern Hemisphere)

​

​Noon Shadows

• Evening: Sun is low in sky again

• Shadows become long again

• Shadows point eastward

​

Evening Shadows

• ​Shadows are longest in early morning and late afternoon

• Shadows are shortest at noon
  

​​Shadow Patterns

• ​Shadows move clockwise throughout the day
  

• ​Shadow length depends on Sun's position

​Morning

​Noon

​Evening

Fill in the Blank

Shadows are the shortest at _________

Multiple Choice

Is it morning. noon, or afternoon?

• morning

• noon

• afternoon

Multiple Choice

Where will the Sun most likely apppear at 3PM?

• Point W

• Point X

• Point Y

• Point Z

Multiple Choice

Which letter is closest to the position of the Sun when the picture was taken?

• W

• X

• Y

• Z

Multiple Choice