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Chasing Shadows

Activity

How the Sun Moves Through the Day

Step outside and observe the shadows around you. Stand in one spot and notice the direction and length of your shadow. As the Sun moves across the sky, how does your shadow change? Try standing in different places and notice how the length and direction of the shadow shift throughout the day.

Science Seed

As the Earth rotates, the Sun moves across the sky, causing shadows to change throughout the day. These shifting shadows can even help us tell time. The ancient Egyptians used this knowledge to create sundials, a tool that tracks time by the position of the Sun. As the Sun moves, the shadow also moves, showing the time by where it falls. Shadows can also help us find direction: in the Northern Hemisphere, they point north at noon, while in the Southern Hemisphere, they point south. The closer you are to the equator, the shorter your shadows will be at noon, because the Sun is directly overhead.

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earn Badges

Badges can be earned through hands-on experiences within each of the 16 branches of science, or “Science Slices.” You can earn a badge in each branch of science by doing four activities in these categories. We also encourage participants to keep a Nature Journal to record their memories, and to express themselves creatively through writing or drawing after each activity. We recommend that each child (and parent if they’d like) write or draw in a journal after each activity, with expectations of your children that match their age (the goal is self-expression, not perfection).

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join Families in Nature

It is our vision to inspire all families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists. Becoming a member of Families in Nature will give your family the opportunity to have adventures in nature, experience field science, develop as youth conservation leaders, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Memberships are free for everyone.

Who are we?

Families in Nature works to create opportunities for nature connection with the purpose of sparking a deep love and desire to protect, conserve and restore the environment. Our mission is to connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent learning, playing, and volunteering outdoors. It is our vision to inspire ALL families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists.

This project was made possible by HEB.