Sun and Shade Hunt
What you need
- a piece of chalk
How to do it
- On a sunny day, find a wall, a step or a bench that is half in the sun and half in the shade.
- Lay your hands flat on the sunny part, then on the shady part. Which is warmer?
- Hunt for more to test: a stone, the grass, a fence post, the seat of a swing, each in sun and in shade.
- Chalk a mark on the warmest thing you found, and look again before you go in: has the shade crept towards it?
Why it matters
The difference between sunny and shady is right there under their palms: warm on one side of the wall, cool on the other.
What they're learning
- Feeling warm and cool
- Hands flat, then compare.
- Finding the shade
- Noticing where the sun doesn't reach.
- Saying why
- It's warm because the sun is on it.
What to look for
Notice them checking with both hands before they tell you which is warmer.
A tip
Slide tops and metal can get very hot in strong sun, so you touch first. Hats and sun cream on, and a drink in the shade afterwards.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: stick to one wall, sun side and shade side
Harder: stand in the shade and then the sun, and talk about which feels better on a hot day, and why
