Exploring Light and Shadow Phenomena (Outside)
If sunny (or at least not actually raining), go outside: Each group: materials for shadow plot, piece of chalk, small camera; Each student: sky journal, pencil

. . Making a shadow plot. Each group takes the materials for a shadow plot: (1 manila folder, 1 piece of paper taped to outside of folder, 1 large paper clip, bent so that long leg is bent up to form a gnomen. The paper clip is slipped on to the middle back edge of the folder, adjusted so bent leg is vertical, and taped in place.)
Outside, person #1 places folder so that edges line up with a north/south or east/west line (such as a sidewalk crack, street curb, wall… or use a compass to make such a line). Marks tip of shadow made by the gnomen and records time next to mark. (A second person repeats this before go back inside. A third person goes outside to make the next mark during class, etc.)

All students:
. . Getting oriented. Which way is north? How do we know this? (where is Portland from here?) All face north.
Which way is east? How do we know this? (where is Bend from here? Or where does the sun seem to rise in the morning?)
West? How do we know this? (where is the ocean from here? Or where does the sun seem to set in the evening?)

Hold out your arms out to point to east and west while facing north. This is the orientation with which you may be familiar from reading maps:
(Students who use google map directions may never have used a paper map and be unfamiliar with north being up and east to the right)
North is straight ahead (up), East is to the right, West is to the left.

However, what can you see in the sky when facing north? (not much) (if early in the morning after the equinox in spring or before the equinox in fall, might see sun or moon)

For us, most of the time, if we want to “see” the sun, have to face south.
DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN WHEN YOU TURN AROUND.

All turn around and face South. In what direction is your left hand pointing now? (East) Your right hand? (West) Note that this is opposite to what you are accustomed to for directions with maps.

WITHOUT LOOKING DIRECTLY AT THE SUN, point one arm in its direction.

. . Recording Sun's apparent location in the sky.Now use your sky journals to record the sun’s approximate position: Draw a horizontal line and label the left end East and the right end West. Draw a stick figure pointing one arm at the Sun. (One of the staff members stands in front of the students and models pointing in the direction of the sun). DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN!

Where do you think the Sun will appear to be by the end of class? (mark that prediction in your sky journal). Where do you think the Sun will appear to be late this afternoon? (mark that prediction in your sky journal).

Where is the Moon? (MOON IS waxing crescent at this time, 5% illuminated, rising 7:56 am, likely won’t be visible to left of Sun.) When check on your predictions for the sun at the end of class and later this afternoon, also check for the Moon. If you see it, add an arm pointing at the Moon to your stick figure with an arm pointing at the Sun. Do not look directly at the Sun! Take care to draw its shape as accurately as you can. After you have drawn the Moon, hold your sky journal up next to the Moon and make sure that you have drawn exactly what you are seeing. Be sure to record the time. If the Sun is also visible, add an arm on the stick figure pointing to the Sun.

. .Exploring students' own shadows.: Each small group: One of you stand so that your shadow falls upon pavement. Another group member uses chalk to draw the outline of this shadow. How do you think this shadow will change by the end of class? (shorter or longer or the same length? Further to the right? Left? Or same place?) Why do you think that? Mark on the pavement where you think the tip of person’s shadow head will fall by the end of class.

Use the video function of the digital camera to record a group member briefly explaining the reasoning for the group prediction for where the tip of the person’s shadow head will fall by the end of class.

Person #2 in the group repeats the shadow plot observation. Person #3 and Person #4 agree on a time to come back outside and make another observation before the end of class.