Storyboarding for Digital Projects
Planning digital projects using non-digital tools to ensure logical flow and timing.
Key Questions
- Justify how planning on paper saves time when working on a computer.
- Identify the essential elements needed to tell a story without words.
- Differentiate which scenes need the most detail in a storyboard plan.
National Curriculum Attainment Targets
About This Topic
Shadows are the result of light being blocked, and they provide a wonderful way to explore the straight-line travel of light. In Year 3, students learn that shadows are formed when an opaque object gets in the way of light. They investigate how the size and shape of a shadow can change depending on the position of the light source.
This topic aligns with the KS2 Science target to find patterns in the way that the size of shadows change. It also introduces the terms 'opaque', 'translucent', and 'transparent'. Students grasp this concept faster through structured discussion and peer explanation as they create shadow puppets and predict how moving the torch will change their 'character' on the screen.
Active Learning Ideas
Inquiry Circle: Shadow Growth
Students use a fixed object and move a torch closer and further away. They measure the height of the shadow at different distances and plot the results to find a pattern.
Simulation Game: The Human Sundial
On a sunny day, students stand in the same spot at 9am, 12pm, and 3pm. They chalk around their shadows to see how the 'moving' sun changes the shadow's length and direction.
Stations Rotation: Opaque, Translucent, or Transparent?
Students test various materials (tissue paper, cardboard, glass, tinted plastic) by holding them in front of a light. They group them based on how much light they let through and the 'darkness' of the shadow.
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Common MisconceptionShadows are 'reflections' of the object.
What to Teach Instead
A shadow is an absence of light, while a reflection is light bouncing back. Showing that a shadow has no colour or detail compared to a reflection in a mirror helps clear this up.
Common MisconceptionThe shadow moves because it wants to follow you.
What to Teach Instead
The shadow's position is entirely determined by where the light source is. If you move, you are just blocking a different part of the light beam. Using two light sources to create 'double shadows' helps students see the source-object-shadow link.
Suggested Methodologies
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between translucent and transparent?
Why do shadows get bigger when the object is closer to the light?
Can a shadow ever be a different shape than the object?
How can active learning help students understand shadows?
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