GROUNDHOG DAY - Fun Activities With A Dab of Shadow Science

Groundhog Day is this Friday. It's a perfect opportunity to toss in STEM concepts while kids have a great time with fun learning activities as they play with shadows and discover how shadows move and change.  

ACTIVITIES:

• Shadow Puppets:

  • Use a flashlight or a lamp to create a light source.

  • Use hands to make shadow puppets against a wall or a sheet.

  • Use paper cutouts on sticks to create more elaborate shadow figures.

• Storytime Shadows:

  • Create a makeshift shadow theater using a large sheet or a blank wall.

  • Shine a light from behind and have kids act out or tell stories using shadow puppets.

SHADOW SCIENCE:

A shadow’s size depends on how much light gets through an object and how close it is to the light source. 

Shadows are formed when light is blocked. If an object is transparent it doesn’t block any light so it doesn’t cast a shadow. If the object is opaque it will cast a precise shadow and if it’s translucent it will cast a shadow that is blurry or faint.  

The closer to the light an object is, the bigger the shadow will be. (This is because the object blocks more of the light.) The further away from the light an object is, the smaller the shadow will be. (This is because the object blocks less of the light.)

When it comes to shadows, there’s always more - or less - than meets the eye!