Scientists are great at observing things that sometimes go unnoticed. Shadows are sometimes forgotten and not something we pay too much attention to. Shadows have played an important role in helping humans tell time using sundials over the years. They might also have inspired the first scientists that realised that light moves in straight lines.
Any object, material or being that can block light from going through forms a shadow.
Find a large piece of paper and some toys and a nice sunny spot in your home. It could be a table or a balcony or the roof. Place the toy on a specific spot on the paper and observe the shadow. You can trace out the shadow and note the time. Check on your paper throughout the day and spot how the shadow moves. This happens as the direction of the light hitting the object changes. As the earth rotates the position of the sun in the sky relative to us, it changes. This change in the position of the sun (the sources of light) changes the size and the shape of the shadows here on earth.
Another great activity could be to observe shadows that happen all around the house and try and sketch them. Plants make some great shadows; observe how they move and change with time.
Using your phone torch light or a lamp try using your hands to form shapes and characters. Work on bringing your hand puppets to life with some movement or sounds.
Position your hands between the lamp and the wall and see what shapes your hands cast as shadows. How can you make the shadow bigger or smaller? Can you create a butterfly by linking your thumbs together? Experiment with shapes. Notice how the gaps between your fingers/hands will create white space among the shadow. Possible shapes could be: Butterfly, Rabbit or a Duck.
Check out how you can make your own Shadow Theatre using things you have at home and start putting on shadow theatre shows. Either get creative and write your own stories or use a book to get inspiration for your shadow characters. Shadows have been used to tell stories for as long as humans have lived, try using your voice, music or even some colour to give your story a cinema feel.
