Science · Year 1

Active learning ideas

Observing the Sun's Apparent Path

Active outdoor observation helps Year 1 students connect the sun’s changing position with shadows in a concrete way. Using simple tools like sticks and chalk turns abstract sky patterns into visible evidence they can test and discuss immediately.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9S1U02

• 20–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Experiential Learning
• 45 min · Small Groups

Outdoor Tracking: Stick Shadows

Place sticks in the ground at set times: morning, midday, afternoon. Students measure shadow lengths with rulers and note directions on north-south lines. Compare changes by drawing outlines with chalk around shadows.

Explain why the sun appears to move across the sky.

Facilitation Tip

During Outdoor Tracking: Stick Shadows, walk the same path each time to keep the stick’s base fixed and ensure reliable comparisons.

What to look for

Ask students to point to where the sun is in the sky at the start of the lesson and then again before recess. Then, ask them to draw a quick sketch of their shadow's direction at each time.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Experiential Learning
• 40 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Human Sundial

Students stand in a circle facing north; one holds a plumb line. Mark positions and shadows every 30 minutes on paper or ground. Discuss patterns as a group and predict next shadow.

Compare the sun's position in the morning to its position in the afternoon.

Facilitation Tip

When modeling the Human Sundial, mark the starting position with tape so children return to the same spot each rotation.

What to look for

At the end of the day, ask: 'How did your shadow change from the morning until now? Why do you think it changed?' Listen for students referencing the sun's apparent movement and changing position.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Experiential Learning
• 30 min · Pairs

Pairs: Prediction Charts

Pairs draw sun paths and shadows for times like 9am, noon, 3pm based on prior observations. Test predictions next day outdoors, then adjust charts. Share revisions in class.

Predict where the sun will be at different times of day based on observations.

Facilitation Tip

For Prediction Charts, provide a two-column table with ‘Morning’ and ‘Afternoon’ so students map their shadow observations directly.

What to look for

Provide students with a simple drawing of a stick figure. Ask them to draw the shadow of the stick figure in the morning (pointing left) and in the afternoon (pointing right), and label which is which.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Experiential Learning
• 20 min · Individual

Individual: Home Log

Students record one shadow daily at home using a toy or hand. Bring logs to school for class timeline. Add drawings of sun position relative to house.

Explain why the sun appears to move across the sky.

What to look for

Ask students to point to where the sun is in the sky at the start of the lesson and then again before recess. Then, ask them to draw a quick sketch of their shadow's direction at each time.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with direct observation before introducing diagrams or explanations. Use repeated, short outdoor sessions rather than one long session to match young children’s attention spans. Avoid explaining the earth’s rotation until students have enough evidence from their own shadow data to question the sun’s motion.

Students will notice consistent changes in shadow length and direction from morning to afternoon, describe the sun’s changing position, and use their observations to predict future positions with growing confidence.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Outdoor Tracking: Stick Shadows, watch for students who describe the sun as moving around Earth because the shadow ‘follows’ the stick.

  Have students stand at the stick’s base each time they mark the shadow tip. Ask, ‘If the stick stays in one place, why does the shadow move?’ to focus attention on the sun’s changing angle.

• During Outdoor Tracking: Stick Shadows, watch for students who assume shadows always point toward the same direction like a compass.

  At each recording, have students draw a small arrow on the ground showing north. Compare the shadow’s direction to the arrow to make changes visible to the whole group.

• During Outdoor Tracking: Stick Shadows, watch for students who link shadow length directly to the sun’s brightness rather than its height in the sky.

  Schedule observations on both sunny and cloudy mornings. Ask, ‘Is the shadow shorter today even though the sun feels just as bright?’ to separate brightness from angle.

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Methods used in this brief

• Experiential Learning