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.

• Year 1
• Science
• 4 activities
• 20 min–45 min

Learning Objectives

1. Compare the sun's position in the sky at different times of the day.
2. Record observations of shadow length and direction throughout a school day.
3. Explain that the apparent movement of the sun across the sky causes changes in shadow position and length.
4. Predict the approximate position and length of a shadow at a specific time of day based on prior observations.

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.

Prepare & details

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.

Setup: Varies; may include outdoor space, lab, or community setting

Materials: Experience setup materials, Reflection journal with prompts, Observation worksheet, Connection-to-content framework

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

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.

Prepare & details

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.

Setup: Varies; may include outdoor space, lab, or community setting

Materials: Experience setup materials, Reflection journal with prompts, Observation worksheet, Connection-to-content framework

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

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.

Prepare & details

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.

Setup: Varies; may include outdoor space, lab, or community setting

Materials: Experience setup materials, Reflection journal with prompts, Observation worksheet, Connection-to-content framework

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

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.

Prepare & details

Explain why the sun appears to move across the sky.

Setup: Varies; may include outdoor space, lab, or community setting

Materials: Experience setup materials, Reflection journal with prompts, Observation worksheet, Connection-to-content framework

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

Teaching This Topic

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.

What to Expect

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.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

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

What to Teach Instead

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.

Common Misconception

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

What to Teach Instead

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.

Common Misconception

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.

What to Teach Instead

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.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After Outdoor Tracking: Stick Shadows, ask students to point to where the sun is in the sky at the start of the lesson and again before recess. Ask them to draw a quick sketch of their shadow’s direction at each time.

Discussion Prompt

During the Human Sundial rotation, ask: ‘How did your shadow change from the morning until now?’ Listen for students referencing the sun’s changing position and explain their reasoning.

Exit Ticket

After Prediction Charts, 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.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge: Ask students to predict where a shadow will point at 11:00 a.m. on the following day using their chart data.
• Scaffolding: Provide a second stick placed at a 45-degree angle to the first so students can compare how slope affects shadow shape.
• Deeper: Introduce a simple graph on grid paper to plot shadow length over three days and look for patterns.

Key Vocabulary

apparent movement	How something looks like it is moving from our point of view, even if it is not actually moving in that way.
shadow	A dark area formed when an object blocks light from a source, like the sun.
midday	The middle part of the day, around noon, when the sun is typically highest in the sky.
direction	The path along which someone or something moves or faces, for example, east or west.