Daily & Seasonal Patterns

What causes shadows to change throughout the day?

• Earth rotates on its axis.

• Clouds block sunlight.

• The sun moves around Earth

• The Earth moves around the Sun.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Which statement is true about shadows?

• Shadows are longest when the sun is high in the sky.

• Sunlight is the only light that can make shadows.

• They require light and something to block light.

• Shadows only appear during the spring and summer.

Tags

NGSS.5-ESS1-2

A student notices that the school’s flagpole shadow appears very long and points toward the west. Which statement accurately explains the shadow’s shape?

• It's early morning, and the sun is low in the sky.

• Its noon, and the sun is at its lowest point in the sky.

• Its noon, and the sun is high in the sky.

• Its late afternoon, and the sun is at its highest position in the sky.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Boston, Massachusetts and Buffalo, New York are in the same time zone. Buffalo is about 455 miles west of Boston by car. Which statement is true about sundial readings in these two locations?

• Both locations will record solar noon at exactly 12pm

• Both locations will record solar noon when shadows are at their longest.

• Both locations will record solar noon at slightly different times.

• Both locations will record solar noon a few minutes before midnight.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

At 12:30 p.m a student uses chalk to trace her shadow on the pavement. At 4:00 p.m. she returns and stands in the exact same position. How will her current shadow compare to her chalk outline?

• It will be the same length and in the same position.

• It will be the same length, but in a different position.

• It will be shorter, but it will be in the same position.

• It will be longer, and it will be in a different position.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Mary puts on a wide- brimmed hat at the beach. As soon as she does, her face feels cooler. Why does this happen?

• The hats brim lets more sunlight pass through, forming a shadow.

• The hats brim does not interact with hight at all, so a shadow forms.

• The hats brim blocks the sunlight, forming a shadow.

• That hat's brim blocks a shadow from forming on her face.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

Which characteristics of shadows change throughout the day?

• length only

• direction and length only

• shape and length only

• length, shape and direction

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

At what time of the day will a shadow be the shortest?

• 12pm

• 10pm

• 9am

• 6am

Tags

NGSS.5-ESS1-2

Finn measures his sister’s shadow at 8:00 in the morning. What can he predict about her shadow at 11:00 in the morning?

• It will be longer.

• It will look the same because it is before noon.

• It will be the same length, but it will be wider.

• It will be shorter.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

At different times of the year, our sun appears to change positions in our sky. In December, the sun appears to be in Sagittarius and in May the sun appears in the constellation Taurus. Why does this movement occur?

• The sun revolves around these constellations once a year.

• Earth's revolution changes the sun's position in our sky.

• The sun's rotation lights up different constellations at different times of the year.

• Earth's rotation causes seasonal changes in constellation position.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1