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22-23 PES 2.25 Shadows

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Last updated 5 months ago
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Click on the upper right corner of the video (pop-out) and it will open the video in a new tab. Watch the video and answer the questions on the goformative assignment.

PES: Shadows

Objective: KWBAT use data to explain why shadows change size and direction throughout the day.

Chapter Question: Why is the sun up sometimes, but not other times?

Warm Up
Welcome back astronomers! Today we’re going to investigate shadows to learn why they change size. Read to learn the definition of a shadow, and then investigate it!

Question 1
1.

Question 2
2.

Look at the shadows and make a prediction. Why do shadows sometimes look so much bigger or smaller than we are? Explain your answer.


Use all the sentence starters to write your sentences:
Shadows look so much bigger than we are because ______________________________.
Shadows look so much smaller than we are because ______________________________.

Thinking About Shadows

Knowing about what direction the sun rises and sets in helps us understand shadows. The sun rises in the EAST and sets in the WEST.

But how does the sun affect shadows? Watch the video below on shadows (you may want to watch it twice). Then answer the questions below.

Question 3
3.

Question 4
4.

Shadow Investigation

We noticed a pattern in the length of the shadows in the video as the sun moved. Today, we are going to investigate how the position of the sun affects the length and direction of shadows throughout the day by shining a light from different locations.
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Used the diagram below to answer questions 7 and 8:

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Now, we’re going to investigate! Use the following materials.
  • 1 Flashlight
  • 1 Figurine/Small Object
  • 1 Shadow Tracking Paper (blank paper)
Procedure:
  1. Put your small object in the center of the paper.
  2. Starting on one side of the object, shine the light in an arc over the object.
  3. Notice how the shadow length and direction change at each of the five spots.
  4. Click HERE to watch an example!
  5. Respond to the questions below.
Used the diagram below to answer questions 9 and 10:

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Question 11
11.

Question 12
12.

We often say that the sun moves through the sky and “rises” and “sets”, but it only looks like the sun is moving. We know that the sun and other stars DO NOT MOVE.

What’s really happening to make it seem like the sun is moving?

Sentence starter: The sun does not move, but it looks like the sun is moving through the sky because _________________________________

Question 13
13.

Question 14
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Question 15
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Question 16
16.

Question 17
17.

Now that we’ve learned about shadows, let’s return to this question. Why do shadows sometimes look so much bigger and smaller than we are?


Explain your answer using words from the word bank below.

Word bank: sun lower smaller higher bigger shadow
Question 18
18.

Why does a shadow look bigger than we are?

Explain your answer using words from the word bank below.
Word bank: sun lower smaller higher bigger shadow

Sentence starter: A shadow looks bigger than we are because ___________________________

Question 19
19.

Why does a shadow look smaller than we are?

Explain your answer using words from the word bank below.
Word bank: sun lower smaller higher bigger shadow

Sentence starter: A shadow looks smaller than we are because ___________________________

Which of the following explains how the window shadow is formed?

A) Light from inside the house is creating a shadow on the wall.
B) Sunlight is being blocked by the solid parts of the window frame, making a dark shadow appear.
C) Blocked light from inside the house is creating the shadow on the wall.
What happens to the length of the shadows as the sun moves across the sky? Select all that apply (there may be more than one correct answer)

The length of the shadows…
A) Get shorter as the sun moves across the sky
B) Get taller as the sun moves across the sky
C) Moves from right to left
What happens to the direction of the shadows as the sun moves across the sky?
The direction of the shadows…
A) Moves from left to right
B) Moves from right to left
Question 5
5.

Question 6
6.

Question 7
7.

Question 8
8.

Question 9
9.

Question 10
10.

When the “sunlight” is coming from the LEFT (West), what direction does the shadow go?
Circle the direction below.
A) Left (West)
B) Center
C) Right (East)
Check Your Understanding! Which of the following images correctly shows where the shadow would be located?


Which shadow is bigger?

A) Person A
B) Person B
There is a bigger shadow because __________________
Select all that apply (there may be more than one correct answer)
A) It is early in the morning and the sun is lower in the sky
B) It is in the afternoon and the sun is higher in the sky
C) It is early in the evening and the sun is lower in the sky
Which shadow is smaller?

A) Person A
B) Person B
There is a smaller shadow because __________________
A) It is early in the morning and the sun is lower in the sky
B) It is early in the evening and the sun is lower in the sky
C) It is in the afternoon and the sun is higher in the sky
Which happens on the west side?
“sunrise” or “sunset” in the blank box in the diagram.
A) sunrise
B) sunset
Which happens on the east side?
“sunrise” or “sunset” in the blank box in the diagram.
A) sunrise
B) sunset
Make a Prediction: I think the shadows will be longest at position number(s) …
Select all that apply (there may be more than 1 correct answer)
A) Position 1
B) Position 2
C) Position 3
D) Position 4
E) Position 5
Make a Prediction: I think the shadows will be shortest at position number …
A) Position 1
B) Position 2
C) Position 3
D) Position 4
E) Position 5
The longest at position number(s) …
Select all that apply (there may be more than 1 correct answer)
A) Position 1
B) Position 2
C) Position 3
D) Position 4
E) Position 5
The shadows will be shortest at position number …
A) Position 1
B) Position 2
C) Position 3
D) Position 4
E) Position 5