Lesson Plan | Teachy Methodology | Positions of the Sun and Shadow

Objectives

Duration: 10 to 15 minutes

This stage aims to introduce students to the concept of Earth's movement and its impact on shadow formation, preparing them to engage in practical activities that will strengthen their understanding of the topic. Clarity in objectives will allow students to identify exactly what will be learned and how to apply that knowledge in everyday life.

Main Objectives

1. Understand the Earth's rotational movement and its relationship with shadow formation throughout the day.

2. Analyze and record the changes in the position and size of shadows as the Sun appears to move.

Side Objectives

1. Develop observation and scientific recording skills.
2. Encourage the use of technology and digital tools to document and analyze data.

Introduction

Duration: 10 to 15 minutes

This stage aims to introduce students to the concept of Earth's movement and its impact on shadow formation, preparing them to engage in practical activities that will strengthen their understanding of the topic. Clarity in objectives will allow students to identify exactly what will be learned and how to apply that knowledge in everyday life.

Warming Up

🌞 Warm-up: The Sun is the closest star to Earth and plays a crucial role in our lives, from providing light and heat to helping in the formation of shadows. To start the class, instruct students to use their cell phones to find an interesting fact about the Sun's impact on our daily lives and share it with the class. This will help contextualize the topic and make it closer to their reality.

Initial Reflections

1. 🔍 How do you think the movement of the Sun influences the shadows we see throughout the day?

2. 🕐 Why do shadows change position and size as the day goes on?

3. 🌍 How is the Earth's movement related to the apparent movement of the Sun?

4. 📸 Does anyone know how we can use digital tools to monitor and document changes in shadows?

Development

Duration: 85 to 90 minutes

The purpose of this stage is to provide students with a practical and interactive experience, where they can collaboratively and creatively apply the knowledge acquired. By using digital technologies and exploring modern contexts, students will deepen their understanding of the Earth's movement and the effect it has on shadows while developing observation, recording, and scientific communication skills.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended that only one of the suggested activities be carried out

Activity 1 - Shadows on Instagram

> Duration: 60 to 70 minutes

- Objective: Understand how the Earth's movement causes variations in shadows throughout the day and apply technological knowledge to record and share these observations.

- Description: Students will create a fictitious Instagram account where they post photos of shadows throughout the day and describe the changes they observe. Using hashtags and creative captions, they should explain how the Earth's movement influences shadows.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Each group will choose a specific location to observe shadows (e.g., in the schoolyard).

• Students will take photos of the shadows every hour using their cell phones.

• Using a photo editing app, they can mark the hours on the images.

• They will create a profile on Instagram (fictitious, as a simulation) to post the photos and describe the changes throughout the day.

• They will use hashtags related to the theme, such as #ShadowsInMotion and #ScienceInSchool.

• Each group should present their fictitious profile and explain their observations to the class.

Activity 2 - Digital Newspaper: Shadow News

> Duration: 60 to 70 minutes

- Objective: Develop observation, recording, and scientific communication skills, as well as use digital tools to create and share information.

- Description: Groups will take on the role of journalists and create a digital newspaper reporting their discoveries about shadows and the Earth's movement. They will use tools such as Google Docs or digital newspaper creation sites.

- Instructions:

• Divide students into groups of up to 5 people.

• Each group will choose different times of the day to observe and note changes in shadows.

• Students will take photos or draw the observed shadows.

• They will use tools like Google Docs or digital newspaper creation sites to compile their observations in a news format.

• Each news piece should contain a detailed description of what was observed, including photos and drawings, along with explanations of how the Earth's movement relates to changes in shadows.

• After creating the newspaper, each group will present their edition to the class, explaining their discoveries and the creation process.

Activity 3 - Shadow Game: Unraveling the Changes

> Duration: 60 to 70 minutes

- Objective: Apply knowledge of the Earth's movement and shadows in a programming and digital creation context, stimulating creativity and technological learning.

- Description: Students will create a digital game using platforms like Scratch to simulate the effect of the Earth's movement on shadows throughout the day. They will learn programming and animation concepts while applying scientific knowledge.

- Instructions:

• Divide students into groups of up to 5 people.

• Introduce the Scratch platform and explain how it can be used to create animations.

• Each group will define a scenario (e.g., a park) and characters that will observe shadows throughout the day.

• Students will program the changes in shadows according to the apparent movement of the Sun using Scratch's animation tool.

• Add challenges in the game, such as questions about why shadows change position and size, for players to answer during the animation.

• Each group will present their game to the class, explaining the creation process and how the shadows were programmed to change.

Feedback

Duration: 15 to 20 minutes

🎯 Purpose: This stage aims to consolidate learning through the exchange of experiences and collective reflections. The group discussion allows students to verbalize their knowledge and learn from their classmates' observations, while 360° feedback promotes a collaborative and continuous development environment.

Group Discussion

📣 Group Discussion: To start the group discussion, present a brief script: 'Let's share our observations and discoveries about shadows and the Earth's movement. Each group will have the opportunity to explain what they learned and how they applied their knowledge in the digital activities. Please be attentive and respectful to your classmates' presentations, and be ready to ask questions and offer constructive feedback.'

Reflections

1. 🤔 Reflection Questions: 2. How do changes in shadows throughout the day confirm the Earth's rotation? 3. In what way did using digital tools help you better understand the concept of shadows and the Earth's movement? 4. What was the biggest challenge you encountered during the activities and how did you overcome it?

360° Feedback

🔄 360° Feedback: Guide students to conduct a 360° feedback session, where each group member should receive constructive feedback from their peers. Instruct the class to focus on positive aspects and areas for improvement in a respectful manner. Use phrases like: 'I liked how you...','I think you could improve on...','It was interesting when you...' to guide the feedback.

Conclusion

Duration: 5 to 10 minutes

🎯 Purpose: This stage aims to tie together all the learning from the lesson, reinforcing the studied concepts and demonstrating their practical applications. It also aims to connect scientific knowledge with the modern and digital context of students, encouraging them to see science as something dynamic and present in their daily lives.

Summary

🌟 Summary: The Dance of Shadows! 🌟

Today we learned how the Earth rotates around its axis and how this makes the Sun appear to 'move' in the sky. This 'crazy dance' of the Sun creates shadows that change shape and position throughout the day! Using photos, games, and even digital newspapers, we explored this idea in several super fun and techy ways! 🌞🕶️📸

World Connection

🌐 In the Current World: 🌐

We live in a world where everything is digitally connected. Today's lesson showed us how natural phenomena, like the Earth's rotation and shadows, can be understood and shared using modern tools like social networks and programming platforms. This helps us see science in action in our digital everyday life!

Practical Application

🔍 Applications in Daily Life: 🔍

Understanding changes in shadows helps us better gauge time and the position of the Sun, which is super useful for various activities like playing outdoors, planning gardening tasks, or even orienting ourselves without a watch. Additionally, it showed us how we can use technology to learn and share our discoveries in a creative way.