Science lesson plan · 5th grade (Year 6 in England) · 45 minutes
Shadow length and direction through the day
Space
CCSS NGSS.5-ESS1-2England: KS2 Y5 Earth and spaceEngland: KS2 Y3 Light
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Shadow length and direction through the day.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Day and night; The Sun's path across the sky in a day
Leads to: the next skill in this area.
Materials: Torch and ball for a Sun-Earth-Moon model, Space images, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 5 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Day and night; The Sun's path across the sky in a day). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- How long does the Earth take to spin once? (about 24 hours / one week / one month / one year) → about 24 hoursPrompt: It is one day and one night.
- The Sun rises at 07:45 and sets at 17:45. How many hours of daylight are there? Give your answer in hours as a decimal (e.g. 12.5). → 10 hPrompt: Count the whole hours first, then the extra minutes.
- Why does the Sun seem to move across the sky? (The Sun orbits the Earth each day / The Earth is rotating / The wind pushes it / It is falling) → The Earth is rotatingPrompt: Think about watching trees from a moving train.
Hook · 5 min
- Ask why we see the Moon change shape over a month.
- Share the objective: Shadow length and direction through the day. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 10 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: At midday in summer, shadows are shorter than at midday in winter. Why?
- Step 1: A higher Sun casts shorter shadows.
- Step 2: So the answer is: The Sun climbs higher in the sky in summer.
- Answer: The Sun climbs higher in the sky in summer.
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 10 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Why do shadows change length during the day? (Earth spins, so the Sun's height in the sky changes. / The Sun gets bigger at noon. / Objects grow during the day. / Clouds stretch the shadows.) → Earth spins, so the Sun's height in the sky changes.Prompt: When the light comes from low down, what happens to the shadow?
- People once used shadow sticks (sundials) to tell the time. Why did this work? (The shadow moves in a regular pattern as Earth turns. / The stick knew the time. / Shadows only appear on the hour. / The Sun stops every hour.) → The shadow moves in a regular pattern as Earth turns.Prompt: Does the shadow move the same way every sunny day?
You do: independent practice · 10 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 7 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 5 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- At midday in summer, shadows are shorter than at midday in winter. Why? (The Sun is closer in summer. / The Sun climbs higher in the sky in summer. / Objects shrink in summer. / There is more light in winter.) → The Sun climbs higher in the sky in summer.Prompt: Compare the Sun's highest point in each season.
- In the morning the Sun is in the east. Which way does a tree's shadow point? (west / it has no shadow / east / straight up) → westPrompt: Shadows point away from the light source.
Watch out for
- Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
- Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Day and night.
- Use concrete materials: torch and ball for a sun-earth-moon model.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-5.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder