• View ecochildsplay’s profile on Facebook
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Twitter
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Instagram
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Pinterest
  • View Jennifer Lance’s profile on LinkedIn
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on YouTube
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Google+

Eco Child's Play

Live a greener, healthier life!

  • Environment
  • Pregnancy
  • Food & Recipes
  • Health News
  • Parenting
  • Green Toys
  • Beauty & Beauty Products
  • Green Home & Cleaning
  • Contact

Celebrate the Earth: Tracking Shadows to Become Human Sundials

boy with shadowThe other day, my daughter asked me what time it was. I gazed up at the sun and told her it was 3:30 pm.  She checked her watch, and then in astonishment asked me how I knew the time.  She had no idea that you could tell time from the sun, even after we had just visited the Sundial Bridge and read the time from its cast shadows.  I was reminded of a project I used to do as part of a unit on solar energy when I was teaching K-8:  Human sundials.

To help children learn how the sun moves across the sky and how shadows are formed, the human sundial project takes a whole day.  First thing in the morning when the sun is up, go outside with your child and trace their shadow with some chalk.  Mark an X where your child is standing so they can return to the same spot.  Switch roles and have your child trace your shadow in a different spot. Then, return every hour and repeat tracing your shadows and recording the time on each shadow. By the end of the day, your child will see how their shadow moves in accordance with the sun’s path, as well as changes shape.

Learning to tell time is a mathematical content standard taught during the primary grade levels; however, most children are not taught the connection between and the passage of time and the Earth’s movements.  By becoming a human sundial, children learn these connections in a way that makes sense to them. Planet Earth is a unique place!

Happy Earth Day!

Image: Flikr chez_sugi 

  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Pinterest
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • More
  • WhatsApp
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe!

« Celebrate the Earth: Create Art Outdoors With Your Children
Gorilla In The Greenhouse: Schoolhouse Rock For The Green Age? »

Comments

  1. Rachel M. says

    April 22, 2008 at 10:33 am

    What a lovely activity! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  2. Erinne says

    April 23, 2008 at 12:23 pm

    Cool idea!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search Content

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter


About Eco Child’s Play

Our ethos is to provide news, information, and opinions on natural, green parenting to help your family live a greener, healthier life! Additionally, we offer personal consulting services to help you achieve your green living goals.

Jennifer is a vegetarian, yoga teacher, gardener, hiker, teacher, and mother that has been living off-the-grid for over 20 years.

Contact Eco Child’s Play

AspenClean: Premier Cleaning Products & Service for the Eco-Conscious

Naturally Clean Appliances with PurTru All-Natural Cleaners

More from the archives!

Go Native: Planting Backyard Habitats

Get Outside! Wooden Outdoor Playsets Bring the Park to Your Backyard

Target Target for Phasing Out PVC May 24th!

Smart Products, Safer Baby: Comment to Win

Organic vs. Conventional: Is the Proof in the Nutrition?

Vegan Creamy Cauliflower Tahini Bisque

Uniquely Scented, Soothing Hand Sanitizer with Integrity: New Vegan PlaneAire Hands with Aloe and Green Tea

Information

  • About & Contact
  • Archive
  • Blog
  • Consulting Services
  • Disclaimer, Disclosure, & Sponsored Posts
  • Privacy Policy

Label GMOs: Mom’s Have a Right to Know What! [video]

A Prayer for Mother's Day

Not So Disposable Natural Dinnerware, Skoy Cloth, and Aspen Wun

Buy a Moby Wrap Sling, Support the Fight for Mother-Friendly Childbirth

Common Anesthetics May Harm Baby Brains

Popular Categories

  • Breastfeeding
  • Health News
  • Natural Childbirth
  • Parenting
  • Education
  • Product Review
  • Green Toys

Get our posts via email

Please stay in touch!

You might also like to read…

British Study: Have 2 Children, Lose 1 Friend

Indonesia Law Follows Gisele’s Advice: Breastfeed or Go To Jail

Labor of Love: Pitocin and the Umbilical Cord

China's Milk Kills: America's Processed Food ____

Honey, We Shrank His Penis.

Copyright © 2021 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2021 · Divine Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.