Science · Year 5

Active learning ideas

Shadows and Light Blocking

Active learning works well for shadows and light blocking because students need to manipulate objects and observe changes in real time. This hands-on approach helps them connect abstract ideas about light travel with visible patterns in shadow formation.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• NC-KS2-Science-Y5-Light-2

• 30–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Project-Based Learning
• 35 min · Pairs

Fair Test: Shadow Lengths

Provide torches, metre sticks, teddy bears, and paper screens. Students fix the screen distance and move the object between torch and screen, measuring shadow lengths at three positions. They record in tables and graph results to spot the pattern. Pairs discuss why lengths change.

Explain how shadows are formed and why they change shape and size.

Facilitation Tip

During Fair Test: Shadow Lengths, ensure students measure shadow lengths multiple times and record data in a shared class chart to spot patterns together.

What to look for

Provide students with a diagram showing a light source, an opaque object, and a screen. Ask them to draw the resulting shadow and write one sentence explaining why it formed. Then, ask them to predict what would happen to the shadow if the object were moved closer to the light source.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Stations Rotation
• 40 min · Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Light Angles

Set up three stations with torches at high, low, and side angles casting shadows from a fixed object. Groups spend 10 minutes at each, sketching shadows and predicting the next station's outcome. Whole class shares sketches to compare.

Predict how the position of a light source will affect the shadow cast by an object.

Facilitation Tip

In Station Rotation: Light Angles, place a protractor at each station so students can measure angles precisely and relate them to shadow changes.

What to look for

During a hands-on activity, circulate with a checklist. Observe students as they manipulate objects and light sources. Ask targeted questions like: 'What happens to the shadow when you move the torch further away? Why?' or 'How could you make the shadow longer?'

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Project-Based Learning
• 50 min · Small Groups

Design Challenge: Shadow Puppets

Students cut animal shapes from card, attach to sticks, and create a 2-minute story show behind a sheet with a torch. Practice predicts shadow effects from light position. Perform for class with peer feedback on clarity.

Design a puppet show using shadows to tell a story.

Facilitation Tip

For Design Challenge: Shadow Puppets, provide a variety of opaque and translucent materials so students test which creates the clearest shadows.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are designing a shadow puppet show for younger children. What kind of object would you use to create a clear shadow of a dog? How would you move the light source to make the dog appear to bark or wag its tail?' Facilitate a brief class discussion where students share their ideas.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

Activity 04

• Project-Based Learning
• 30 min · Pairs

Outdoor Prediction: Sun Shadows

Place sticks in ground at schoolyard spots. Pairs mark initial shadows, predict positions hourly using compass and sun path knowledge, then measure actuals. Compare predictions in plenary.

Explain how shadows are formed and why they change shape and size.

Facilitation Tip

During Outdoor Prediction: Sun Shadows, give students time to sketch shadows at different times of day before measuring to reinforce the connection between sun position and shadow length.

What to look for

Provide students with a diagram showing a light source, an opaque object, and a screen. Ask them to draw the resulting shadow and write one sentence explaining why it formed. Then, ask them to predict what would happen to the shadow if the object were moved closer to the light source.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by starting with simple, clear demonstrations that reveal light’s straight path. Avoid overcomplicating with diagrams early on, as hands-on experiences build stronger mental models. Research shows students grasp shadow concepts better when they actively test predictions and discuss discrepancies in small groups.

Successful learning looks like students using evidence from activities to explain how shadow size and shape change with distance and angle. They should confidently predict outcomes and revise ideas based on observations, not assumptions.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Fair Test: Shadow Lengths, watch for students who assume shadows remain the same size regardless of distance.

  Have them use the measuring tape and shared data chart to compare shadow lengths at different distances. Ask: ‘What pattern do you see in the numbers?’ to guide them toward the distance-shadow relationship.

• During Station Rotation: Light Angles, watch for students who think the shadow shape matches the light angle directly.

  Ask students to trace the shadow outline and the object’s outline on tracing paper, then compare angles. Prompt: ‘How does the light’s angle change the shadow’s edge?’ to highlight the connection.

• During Design Challenge: Shadow Puppets, watch for students who use translucent materials expecting clear shadows.

  Provide a torch and ask them to test their material choice immediately. Say: ‘Check the shadow with the torch on. Is it sharp or fuzzy?’ to redirect their thinking.

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Methods used in this brief

• Project-Based Learning
• Stations Rotation