Part One: Sun Safety: Day One
Preparation/Materials
A Piece of Large White Paper
Masking tape
A Yard Stick
8" Square of Cardboard - punch a hole with a small nail in the center
Chair
A Mirror
A Very Clear Sunny Day
Markers to record and draw observations
Portrait of the Sun Printables
Introduction
Gather the students in the group activity area, and read The Sun, by Michael George ISBN1-56766-385-0.
The Earth is a planet, what is the Sun?
Why does the Sun look so bright to us on Earth?
What is the sun made of?
What are sunspots? What are Solar flares?
What are some ways we use the Sun's power?
Today we're going to observe the sun, it's very important to remember one thing about the sun: Never look directly at the sun, not even with sun glasses.
Does anyone want to guess why? The sun's light is so strong it can burn the inside of your eyes and make you blind.
If we can't look at it how will we observe it? Scientists use special telescopes to look at the sun, with these telescopes they can see the different parts of the sun.
We are going to make a simple telescope outside so that we can safely observe the sun.
Activity
Take the class, printables, markers and materials outdoors. Tape the piece of large white paper to an outside wall. Place the chair in front of the paper about 2-3' from the wall, masking tap the 8" square cardboard to the yard stick, making sure the yard stick is not blocking the hole. Masking tape the yardstick to the back of the chair so that the 8" square of cardboard is standing at about the student's shoulder height. Stand behind the chair and hold the mirror so that it is reflecting sunlight through the hole in the cardboard. Allow students to take turns observing and holding the mirror for each other as they complete the Portrait of the Sun
Part Two: Sun Dial Observations: Day Two
Preparation/Materials
Brightly colored chalk
Unifix Cubes
An area of open space that can be drawn on and remain undisturbed throughout the day, such as the play yard or parking lot
Sun Times Printables
Begin this lesson as soon as the students arrive in the morning, this activity will continue during the day with 5 recording times. The teacher may actually call the class together outdoors before the morning school bell.
Introduction
Record student responses to the following questions on large chart paper.
How could a runaway slave know what time of day it was?
How can someone tell time with out a watch? How did people tell time before clocks were invented?
Today we're going to make a Sun Dial. A Sun dial has a stick or pole that stands up in the middle of a circle. As the sun moves across the sky it casts the pole's shadows around the circle.
If you can trace a shadow, then you can make your own sundial.
Activity
Take class outdoors with the materials if you are not outside, ask students to hold hands, step back and make a large circle. Students may sit if the ground is dry.)
I'll stand in the middle of the circle and we will need to trace my feet.
This will mark the center of the sun dial called the gnomon.
We will trace my shadow 5 times today and see what changes, if any, we observe.
I will need to stand in this exact spot each time we trace my shadow.
Proceed to call on students to trace your shadow and
draw a picture in the shadow or write to describe the time of day. Shadows
will need to be traced 5 times as follows: beginning of the school day,
late morning, noon, early afternoon, and immediately before dismissal.
At each tracing have the students measure and record their observations
on the Sun Dial Observations Printable.
on to Moon Patterns
Copyright
© 2003 by the Network for Instructional TV, Inc.
All rights reserved.