Chasing Shadows - Activity Instructions

Shadows dance, shadows move. Over the course of a day, it seems like the sun moves from its rising place, all the way overhead, to its setting place. But did you know it’s actually us, the earth, who moves around the sun? Our shadows lengthen and stretch and shorten and move as we rotate around, our feet firmly on the ground, the earth not stopping for anything or anyone. It can take a long time to see your shadow move from place to place. Let's use some simple items to see it happen fast.

Shadows are created when a light source hits and is blocked by opaque objects. Some objects do not create shadows, because they are transparent and the light sees right through them.

Note: Before completing this activity, read Where Happiness Hides with your parent/caregiver.

Safety advice: This exercise utilises a lamp. The light bulb is hot when switched on and not to be touched directly! Be careful when using outlets. Also, be careful not to drop the lamp as cut glass could be very sharp.

Have you ever looked at your shadow and waved at it? I bet it would wave back. Our shadows move as we do; dancing, jumping, crawling and running. But, over time, our shadow seems to move. From left to right, it’s always at a different side of our body. Sometimes in front, sometimes behind or to the side. How does this work? Shadows come from the source of light, or, rather, where the light is coming from changes where the shadow goes.

It can take a long time to see that throughout the course of the day, so let’s use some objects to examine this further.

Step 1.

Get your parent or caregiver to assist you with getting a lamp. Position the lamp in the middle of the carpet, with a wide circumference around it that will be used for this experiment.

The lamp should be switched off.

Step 2.

Place the paper in front of the lamp, position the toilet paper roll standing up in the middle of the paper. It would be helpful to have a flat surface underneath the paper.

Is there a shadow on the toilet paper roll? There might be some light within the room, but not to worry. Turn the lamp on.

Step 3.

Look at where the light from the lamp hits the toilet roll. Where does the shadow go? Trace the shadow that is being cast, and draw a line showing where the light is coming from. Does it go where you expected?

Step 4.

Now, move the paper to the right so that it is now diagonal to the lamp. You shouldn’t turn the piece of paper, just slide it sideways. Where does the light come from now? Where does the shadow go? Mark these in the same way using a different colour.

Can you imagine the lamp as the sun, yourself as the toilet paper roll, the paper as the earth beneath you?

Step 5.

Next, slide the paper up, so that it is now next to the lamp on the side. Repeat the line and tracing. Repeat these steps all the way around the lamp, using a different colour each time. Can you see how the shadow dances around, never staying in the same place?

Step 6.

Twirl around under the light, thinking of your shadow moving around.

Taking It Further

You could experiment with lengths of the shadow, moving the paper further away and closer to the lamp.

Chasing Shadows (home learning)

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