Equipment
A computer with Internet access.
Teacher information
•   This activity assesses students' understanding of why we have shadows.
•

This task requires that your Internet browser has the program "Flash" installed.
 
1.   If you can read "Flash is installed" here    your computer can run 
      the animation.  Go to step 3.
  

2.   If you cannot see "Flash is installed" click this link and follow the 
      instructions.  Then go to step 3.

3.   Click on the animation button: 

• 


 To get the animation to fill the entire screen, follow these instructions:
Internet Explorer – Press F11 to make browser go to full screen.
Netscape – Go to View and hide all the toolbars.

NOTE:  The MS Word version of the questions and scoring guide, but not the animation, is available by clicking on the MS Word icon above.

 
 

The animation shows how a person's shadow changes when the Sun is in different places in the sky.

To move the Sun to the next position click the "play" button.
Use the animation to help answer the following questions.
 

a) 

What type of day is needed to see shadows?

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b) 

Explain how shadows happen.

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c)

Which part of the day has the shortest shadow?

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d) 

Write some sentences explaining how the length and the direction of the shadow changes in a day.

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