Complete classroom lesson

Light, Shadows & Story

A low-prep science, art, and storytelling lesson for kindergarten through grade 3. Choose the pathway that fits your learners, then explore with a light, a wall, and simple shapes.

Choose your classroom to begin:

Tell your learners: “We will find out how to change a shadow, then use it to tell a story.”

Choose a classroom audience

Prepare the room

Allow 5 minutes to set up after printing and gathering equipment. Test a visible shadow before learners arrive.

The core time covers a short demonstration, practice, partner storytelling, and oral reflection. Drawing, station rotations, whole-class performances, and investigations need additional time. Student sheets are optional recording tools, not a completion checklist.

Gather your materials
Safety and comfortable participation
  • Use cool LED lights only; do not use candles, lasers, or hot lamps.
  • Keep beams below eye level and never shine a light into anyone’s eyes.
  • Secure sheets, cords, and stands; keep walking paths clear.
  • Use cool LED lights only; do not use candles, lasers, or hot lamps.
  • Keep beams below eye level and never shine a light into anyone’s eyes.
  • Secure sheets, cords, and stands; keep walking paths clear.
  • An adult handles reflective materials and redirects stray reflections.

Assess noticing and explaining, not dexterity, handwriting, or acting. Learners can point, draw, speak, sign, or demonstrate.

  • Offer maker, narrator, light watcher, observer, and recorder roles.
  • Allow seated participation and tabletop screens.
  • Accept spoken, drawn, pointed-to, signed, or demonstrated responses.
  • Let students use cardstock figures if a hand pose is uncomfortable.
  • Demonstrate on your own hand; do not force or reposition a child’s fingers.

Need help with equipment? Read Lighting & Setup.

Move the card. Keep the light and screen fixed.

Predict first. Move the card, then compare the shadow with your prediction.

Fixed lightMove cardFixed screen
Near light: largerNear screen: smaller

Object: Middle. The shadow is medium-sized. Only the object moved; the light and screen stayed fixed.

Whole-class theater

Use one light and screen so everyone can observe the same demonstration.

  1. Aim one cool LED light at a wall or taut sheet.
  2. Mark a performer spot and audience line. Use a few volunteers; seated partners predict, practice shapes, and plan stories.
  3. Do not queue every pair in the core lesson. Offer later supervised center turns so everyone can test a shadow.

Small-group stations

Best when several safe light sources and adult sightlines are available.

  1. Prepare one light and vertical screen per group of 3–4 before teaching.
  2. Combine roles as needed: maker, narrator, observer. An adult checks light safety.
  3. Work simultaneously. Swap maker after each try; add time for full rotations.

Kindergarten: notice, explore, tell

A 20-minute pathway with an open hand, relaxed fist, or cardstock shape. Animal poses are optional; children can point, draw, speak, sign, or demonstrate.

  • Notice that a hand or object can block light.
  • Explore how moving or turning a shape changes its shadow.
  • Share a short story with a partner.

  1. 3 min · Notice

    What do you notice on the wall?

    Teacher: Show a card shadow. Point out the light, card, and wall.

    Children: Point to the shadow and tell a partner what you see.

    Children point to or describe a shadow.

  2. 4 min · Try a change

    Predict: what will happen when I put a card in the light? Try it. What did you notice?

    Teacher: Show the lit wall, then put a card in the beam. Ask before trying.

    Children: Say or show what you think will happen, then what you saw.

    Optional recording: page 5. Use oral responses during the core lesson; draw afterward.

    The card blocks light; its shadow appears on the screen.

  3. 6 min · Explore shapes

    What changes when you turn your hand or card?

    Teacher: Model one slow turn. Use volunteers at one light or pairs at prepared stations.

    Children: Try or watch one change. Seated partners practice a comfortable shape together.

    Children explore an open hand, relaxed fist, or cardstock shape.

  4. 4 min · Tell a tiny story

    First it arrives. What happens next?

    Teacher: Model First, Next, Last. Include the shadow change you just explored.

    Children: Tell a partner a tiny story; turn a shape to show a change. Swap storyteller.

    Optional recording: page 6. Use oral responses during the core lesson; draw afterward.

    Partners move a shape and tell, sign, or act out a story.

    For example: First, a card character hides edge-on. Next, it turns to face the light and appears. Last, it turns edge-on and hides again.

  5. 3 min · Share a discovery

    Show one thing you found out.

    Teacher: Invite two discoveries and listen to partner responses.

    Children: Show one change: I turned ___. I saw ___.

    Children point, draw, speak, sign, or demonstrate.

Start with simple shapes

An open hand

Hold your hand comfortably in the light. Turn it slowly. What changes on the screen?

A relaxed fist

Curl your fingers gently. Turn the rounded side toward the light. Move your shape slowly across the screen.

A cardstock shape

Hold a teacher-prepared circle, triangle, or other shape in the beam. Turn it edge-on, then turn it back. What do you notice?

Try an optional Turtle or Dog

Turtle: Move the shell slowly forward with a tiny bob.

Dog: Tilt the head, then move the little finger to open and close the mouth.

Children may choose either animal or continue with an open hand, relaxed fist, or cardstock shape. Assess what they notice, not whether the animal is perfect.

Evidence of learning

  • Points to the light, object, or shadow.
  • Shows or describes one change they noticed.

The 30-minute core lesson

  1. STEP 1

    4 min

    Notice a shadow

    Ask: What has to be present for this shadow to appear?

    Teacher: Show a card shadow; remove the card and compare.

    Children: Point out the light, object, screen, and shadow.

    Expected observation: Identify a light, an object in its path, and a screen.

  2. STEP 2

    6 min

    Change one position

    Ask: Predict what will change when this card moves toward the light. Keep the light and wall still. Try it, then compare with your prediction.

    Teacher: Move a rigid card toward the light without turning it. Keep light and screen fixed.

    Children: Predict aloud, watch, then compare with a partner.

    Optional recording: page 7. Oral responses fit the core time.

    Expected observation: The shadow grows as the card moves toward the fixed light.

  3. STEP 3

    8 min

    Build a figure

    Ask: Choose one comfortable figure or shape. Which small turn makes its outline easiest to recognize?

    Teacher: Demonstrate one shape. Use volunteers or prepared stations; offer the cards as choices.

    Children: Choose one shape, not all five. Try or observe one slow turn.

    Expected observation: Turning the shape changes its outline. Comfortable shapes count.

  4. STEP 4

    8 min

    Create a tiny story

    Ask: What does your character want, what changes, and how does the scene end?

    Teacher: Model a three-part story using a shadow change. Invite one brief demonstration.

    Children: Rehearse with a partner or group. Use a turn or size change in the story.

    Optional recording: page 9. Oral responses fit the core time.

    Expected observation: Groups use movement, speech, or signing to show first, next, and last.

    For example: First, a card character hides edge-on. Next, it turns to face the light and appears. Last, it turns edge-on and hides again.

  5. STEP 5

    4 min

    Share evidence

    Ask: What did you change, and what happened to the shadow?

    Teacher: Ask the exit questions aloud. Listen for what changed and what was observed.

    Children: Point to the setup and say: I changed ___. I noticed ___.

    Optional recording: page 10. Oral responses fit the core time.

    Expected observation: Use an observed shadow change to explain an idea.

Show figure directions and tutorials

Five classroom figures

Each pose includes steps, one expressive movement, troubleshooting, and the exact full tutorial.

Palm-side reference showing the curled fingers of the hand used for the turtle shell

One-hand shell pose. Keep the fist comfortable, not tightly clenched.

Turtle

  1. Curl all four fingers into one relaxed, rounded fist.
  2. Fold the thumb close to the fingers so it does not stick out.
  3. Turn the rounded side toward the light to make a compact shell silhouette.

Move: Move the shell slowly forward with a tiny bob.

Troubleshoot: If the shell looks jagged, relax the knuckles and tuck the thumb closer. This simple pose shows a shell, not separate legs or a head.

Open the exact Turtle tutorial
Two palms with grouped fingers making a classic bird shadow pose

AI-generated pose illustration. Follow the written hand-position instructions.

Bird

  1. Turn both palms toward the light and cross your hands at the wrists.
  2. Keep the four fingers of each hand straight and together, pointing out as broad wings.
  3. Cross and fold the thumbs at the center; raise one thumb slightly to make the head.

Move: Lift and lower both wrists together for a slow flap while the fingers stay grouped.

Troubleshoot: If the wings look feathery or uneven, bring each set of four fingers together and keep both palms level.

Open the exact Bird tutorial
Palm-side view showing the curled fingers and outer points of the cat pose

Cat

  1. Make a relaxed fist, with the middle and ring fingers curled into the palm.
  2. Lift the index and little fingers slightly; curl their tips to make two short ears.
  3. Tuck the thumb and turn the hand until both ears show above the round head.

Move: Make the cat look left and right, then twitch one ear.

Troubleshoot: If the ears merge, open a small gap between them and move closer to the screen for a smaller outline.

Open the exact Cat tutorial
Palm-side view showing the dog pose’s raised thumb, bent index finger, and extended fingers

Keep the middle and ring fingers touching. The gaps shown here are an illustration limitation, not part of the pose. Move only the little finger to open the mouth.

Dog

  1. Hold the fingers together and bend the index finger to shape the snout.
  2. Raise the thumb for the ear. Keep the middle and ring fingers together; the little finger forms the lower jaw.
  3. Turn the hand sideways to the light until the ear and snout read as a dog.

Move: Tilt the head, then move the little finger to open and close the mouth.

Troubleshoot: If the muzzle disappears, turn the wrist slightly; keep the thumb ear above the snout.

Open the exact Dog tutorial
Thumb-side view showing the rabbit’s thumb-index loop, two finger ears, and tucked little finger

Thumb-side view: look for the head loop and two ears.

Rabbit

Optional challenge for grades 1–3. Choose another shape if this feels uncomfortable.

  1. Curl the index finger toward the thumb to make the head loop.
  2. Raise the middle and ring fingers as ears; tuck the little finger into the palm.
  3. Turn the hand sideways to the light until the loop and both ears show.

Move: Make one ear listen, then let the rabbit nibble.

Troubleshoot: If the head looks like a fist, separate the ear fingers and turn the wrist slightly sideways.

Open the exact Rabbit tutorial

The Bird card shows an AI-generated pose illustration. Its instructions call out the palm, finger, wrist, and thumb positions so students can make the shape safely.

Student pages: draw, tell, or show

Draw, tell, or show your discovery

Read prompts aloud and model each activity. Accept telling, pointing, signing, or showing. After exploring, choose one optional recording page or none; an adult can scribe. Independent reading, names, spelling, sentences, and recognizable drawings are not required. Predict what will happen when a card enters the beam, then tell or show what happened.Use paper or respond aloud. Before moving the object, make a prediction; afterward, describe what you noticed. Grade 3 learners can use the measurement investigation in Extend as a separate session.

Tell or act out a tiny story

First / Next / Last story planner

Work with a partner or small group. Share one planner and take turns adding ideas.

  1. First: who arrives?
  2. Next: what happens?
  3. Last: how does it end?

Use one shadow change in your story. Tell, sign, or act it out first; draw later if useful. A narrator can help.

Take turns: make and notice

  • Make: try a shape or move the card.
  • Notice: watch and share what changed. Swap turns.

Choose or rotate roles

  • Maker: holds or moves a shape
  • Narrator: tells or signs the story
  • Light watcher: checks fixed positions
  • Observer: notices a clear movement
  • Recorder: draws or writes a discovery

Try it together

  • Our shape moves slowly enough to follow.
  • Our story has a first, next, and last.
  • Everyone has a way to take part.

Share a discovery

Exit ticket

Show or describe one shadow you noticed. Point, draw, tell, or sign what changed.

  1. Point to or draw the light, object, and shadow.
  2. What did you change? What did you notice?
  3. What blocked the light? Show or tell.
Teacher answer notes and differentiation
  1. Identifies the lamp, card or hand, and shadow on the screen. Follow up: point to the object, then its shadow.
  2. For example, I moved the card toward the light and its shadow grew. Follow up: what stayed still? Accept other observed changes.
  3. The card or hand blocked the light. Follow up: remove it and ask what happens on the screen.

Kindergarten

  • Begin with an open hand, relaxed fist, or cardstock shape.
  • Accept pointing, drawing, speaking, signing, or demonstration.
  • Let an adult scribe; animal poses are optional.

Grades 1–2

  • Use oral predictions and labeled drawings.
  • Offer sentence frames: “I moved ___. The shadow ___.”
  • Practice one figure and one movement.

Grade 3

  • Measure three marked positions.
  • Record object-to-screen distance and shadow width in the same units.
  • Write a claim that names the changed variable and evidence.

Access and participation

  • Use large-print cards and high-contrast outlines.
  • Offer a partner to shape cardstock or point to choices.
  • Reduce visual clutter by presenting one card at a time.
  • Describe every demonstration aloud.

Print-ready classroom kit

Your lesson, ready to print

Read the lesson on this page. Download the matching PDF for reliable page breaks, offline use, and classroom copying.

20 minutes · 6-page PDF

Kindergarten

Explore simple shapes, try an optional Turtle or Dog, tell a tiny story, and share a discovery. Includes two optional drawing sheets; choose one or neither.

4 teacher pages + 2 optional recording pages. Designed for black-and-white printing.

Download printable Kindergarten kit

30 minutes · 10-page PDF

Grades 1–3

Explore a shadow change, choose from five figures or simple shapes, then tell a story. Materials and Grade 3 measurement investigations are optional follow-up sessions.

6 teacher pages + 4 optional recording pages. Designed for black-and-white printing.

Download printable Grades 1–3 kit

Extend and understand

Teacher background, optional investigations, and ideas for another day.

Compare soft and sharp shadow edges

Change one thing. Notice what happens.

Compare shadow edges

A schematic comparison, not a measured prediction. Try the same comparisons with a real light and screen.

Change only the emitting area

Keep the source center, object, and screen fixed. A larger emitting area sends light toward the object from more positions.

Source: fixedObject: fixedShadow edge
Emitting area

Small emitting area: clearer edge. The source center, object, and screen stayed fixed. This schematic compares emitting area, not beam focus.

Science background and sources

What the shadows can show us

Optional investigations and Grade 3 extension

Optional · 15–20 minutes

Materials in the Beam

How does the material in the beam change the light pattern on the screen?

Transparent

clear plastic sheet

Translucent

wax paper or tracing paper

Opaque

cardstock or a book

  1. Keep the light, screen, and test spot fixed.
  2. First observe the screen with nothing in the beam. Use this as your comparison.
  3. Predict, then test one material at a time in the same spot.
  4. Draw or write what you notice. Compare with the empty beam before naming material groups.

Standards boundary: This investigation supports, but does not by itself fully align to, NGSS 1-PS4-3 by asking students to compare how different materials interact with a beam of light.

Teacher-managed reflection

Teacher demonstration: use foil or a small mirror to redirect light toward a second card, away from faces. A reflective material may also be opaque: reflection and transmission describe different behaviors.

Grade 3 measurement extension

How does the shadow’s width change as the object moves away from the screen and toward the fixed light?

For a separate Grade 3 session, use a rigid card and pretest a clear-edged shadow. Model measuring from card to screen and across the shadow’s widest width before students record three positions.

Keep the light and screen fixed. Move the same upright card to three marked positions without turning it. At each, measure card-to-screen distance and the shadow’s widest width in centimeters. Repeat a surprising measurement.

Change one variable

object-to-screen distance

Keep these fixed

  • same light source and brightness
  • same object and orientation
  • same screen position
  • same measurement method
Vocabulary and common misconceptions

Words to explore

light source
Something that gives off light.
shadow
A darker area where light is blocked.
silhouette
The filled-in outline of a shape.
light source
Something that gives off light.
shadow
A darker area where light is blocked.
opaque
Does not let visible light pass through.
translucent
Lets light through but scatters it, so a clear view is lost.
transparent
Lets light through clearly, with little scattering. It can be tinted.
reflective
Sends light back in a new direction.
silhouette
The filled-in outline of a shape.

Common misconceptions

Instead of: A shadow is a thing that follows you.
Teach: A shadow is an area receiving less light because an object blocks the light path.
Instead of: A shadow is a thing that follows you.
Teach: A shadow is an area receiving less light because an object blocks the light path.
Instead of: Dark objects make shadows; light objects do not.
Teach: Any material that blocks enough light can form a visible shadow.
Instead of: Closer always means bigger.
Teach: Name what is closer to what. In our fixed light-and-screen setup, the object’s distance from the light changes projected size.
Instead of: Every shadow has a perfectly sharp edge.
Teach: The light source’s geometry affects edge softness; compare sources while keeping the object and screen fixed.
Teaching sources and standards

Teaching sources

  1. Smithsonian Science Education Center: Light Our Way: Grade 1 Phenomenon

    Grade 1 light-and-shadow phenomenon framing.

  2. Smithsonian Science Education Center: Focused Exploration: Light and Shadows

    Observation-first teaching, prediction, and discussion for young learners.

  3. Next Generation Science Standards: 1-PS4-3 Waves and Their Applications

    Bounded standards connection for material-light interactions.

  4. Exploratorium Institute for Inquiry: Subtle Shifts in Thinking

    Controlled-investigation approach: change one variable, observe, and explain a pattern.

  5. NAEYC: What’s in a Shadow?

    Open-ended preschool exploration, observation, reflection, and shadow storytelling.

  6. Smithsonian Science Education Center: Light Our Way: Grade 1 Phenomenon

    Grade 1 light-and-shadow phenomenon framing.

  7. Smithsonian Science Education Center: Focused Exploration: Light and Shadows

    Observation-first teaching, prediction, and discussion for young learners.

  8. Next Generation Science Standards: 1-PS4-3 Waves and Their Applications

    Bounded standards connection for material-light interactions.

  9. Exploratorium Institute for Inquiry: Subtle Shifts in Thinking

    Controlled-investigation approach: change one variable, observe, and explain a pattern.

  10. Exploratorium: Facets of Light: Shadows and Light Sources

    Teacher background on emitting-source size and partially lit shadow edges.

  11. NAEYC: What’s in a Shadow?

    Open-ended preschool exploration, observation, reflection, and shadow storytelling.

Resource version 1.0.0. This lesson kit is not a complete or independently validated curriculum.

NGSS 1-PS4-3 supporting connection: The materials investigation supports this expectation; it is not a full alignment claim. The indoor lesson does not assess kindergarten’s sunlight-warming expectation, K-PS3-1.

More from Shadow Pals

Prepare your space, support young learners, or try the next activity with these teaching guides.

Prepare

  • Choosing Your Light Source

    Phone flashlight, LED torch, or desk lamp? Learn how to pick the best light source for crisp shadow puppets and use it safely at home.

  • Shadow Puppet Lighting & Stage Setup

    The secret to clean shadows is your setup. Learn the one-light rule, practical equipment choices, and positioning.

Support younger learners

  • Teaching Kids Their First Puppet

    Teach a child their first shadow puppet with encouragement cues, inclusive roles, and a low-pressure practice structure.

  • Shadow Puppets for Ages 3-5

    Explore shadows with children ages 3–5 using simple hand or cardstock shapes, short playful routines, and comfortable participation choices.

Extend and troubleshoot

Educators may copy this packet for their own classes and those students’ families. Keep the credits. No resale or public rehosting. This permission does not cover third-party resources.

Shadow Pals · Light, Shadows & StoryKindergarten

Teacher copy

Light, Shadows & Story

Kindergarten · 20 minutes · 5-minute prep

Tell your learners: “We will find out how to change a shadow, then use it to tell a story.”

Fixed lightMove only the cardFixed screen

Allow 5 minutes to set up after printing and gathering equipment. Test a visible shadow before learners arrive.

The core time covers a short demonstration, practice, partner storytelling, and oral reflection. Drawing, station rotations, whole-class performances, and investigations need additional time. Student sheets are optional recording tools, not a completion checklist.

Gather

  • □ One cool LED flashlight or lamp
  • □ A plain wall or securely clipped white sheet
  • □ Figure cards and student pages from this packet
  • □ Pencils and clipboards or firm writing surfaces
  • □ Teacher-prepared cardstock shapes

Keep everyone safe

  • □ Use cool LED lights only; do not use candles, lasers, or hot lamps.
  • □ Keep beams below eye level and never shine a light into anyone’s eyes.
  • □ Secure sheets, cords, and stands; keep walking paths clear.

Dim the room only as needed. Keep faces out of the beam and walking routes visible.

Print once, then copy

Pages 1–4: one teacher set. Pages 5–6: student masters, grouped at the end for copying.

Choose page 5 OR page 6 for optional drawing after the lesson, or copy neither. Read prompts aloud; children can tell, point, sign, or show instead.

Print at actual size on Letter, or fit to printable area on A4. These activities work from the printed pages.

Whole-class theater

  1. Aim one cool LED light at a wall or taut sheet.
  2. Mark a performer spot and audience line. Use a few volunteers; seated partners predict, practice shapes, and plan stories.
  3. Do not queue every pair in the core lesson. Offer later supervised center turns so everyone can test a shadow.

Small-group stations

  1. Prepare one light and vertical screen per group of 3–4 before teaching.
  2. Combine roles as needed: maker, narrator, observer. An adult checks light safety.
  3. Work simultaneously. Swap maker after each try; add time for full rotations.
Shadow Pals · Light, Shadows & StoryKindergarten

Teacher copy

Your 20-minute exploration

Read prompts aloud and model each activity. Accept telling, pointing, signing, or showing. After exploring, choose one optional recording page or none; an adult can scribe. Independent reading, names, spelling, sentences, and recognizable drawings are not required.

  1. 3 min

    Notice

    Teacher: Show a card shadow. Point out the light, card, and wall.

    Children: Point to the shadow and tell a partner what you see.

    Ask: What do you notice on the wall?

    Listen for: Children point to or describe a shadow.

  2. 4 min

    Try a change

    Teacher: Show the lit wall, then put a card in the beam. Ask before trying.

    Children: Say or show what you think will happen, then what you saw.

    Ask: Predict: what will happen when I put a card in the light? Try it. What did you notice?

    Listen for: The card blocks light; its shadow appears on the screen.

    Optional recording: page 5. Oral responses fit the core time.

  3. 6 min

    Explore shapes

    Teacher: Model one slow turn. Use volunteers at one light or pairs at prepared stations.

    Children: Try or watch one change. Seated partners practice a comfortable shape together.

    Ask: What changes when you turn your hand or card?

    Listen for: Children explore an open hand, relaxed fist, or cardstock shape.

  4. 4 min

    Tell a tiny story

    Teacher: Model First, Next, Last. Include the shadow change you just explored.

    Children: Tell a partner a tiny story; turn a shape to show a change. Swap storyteller.

    Ask: First it arrives. What happens next?

    Listen for: Partners move a shape and tell, sign, or act out a story.

    For example: First, a card character hides edge-on. Next, it turns to face the light and appears. Last, it turns edge-on and hides again.

    Optional recording: page 6. Oral responses fit the core time.

  5. 3 min

    Share a discovery

    Teacher: Invite two discoveries and listen to partner responses.

    Children: Show one change: I turned ___. I saw ___.

    Ask: Show one thing you found out.

    Listen for: Children point, draw, speak, sign, or demonstrate.

Shadow Pals · Light, Shadows & StoryKindergarten

Teacher copy

Start with simple shapes

An open hand

Hold your hand comfortably in the light. Turn it slowly. What changes on the screen?

A relaxed fist

Curl your fingers gently. Turn the rounded side toward the light. Move your shape slowly across the screen.

A cardstock shape

Hold a teacher-prepared circle, triangle, or other shape in the beam. Turn it edge-on, then turn it back. What do you notice?

Optional animals to try

Turtle

  1. Curl all four fingers into one relaxed, rounded fist.
  2. Fold the thumb close to the fingers so it does not stick out.
  3. Turn the rounded side toward the light to make a compact shell silhouette.

Try a movement: Move the shell slowly forward with a tiny bob.

Check the outline: If the shell looks jagged, relax the knuckles and tuck the thumb closer. This simple pose shows a shell, not separate legs or a head.

Turtle tutorial
shadowpals.com/explore/how-to-make-a-hand-shadow-turtle

Palm-side reference showing the curled fingers of the hand used for the turtle shell
One-hand shell pose. Keep the fist comfortable, not tightly clenched.

Dog

  1. Hold the fingers together and bend the index finger to shape the snout.
  2. Raise the thumb for the ear. Keep the middle and ring fingers together; the little finger forms the lower jaw.
  3. Turn the hand sideways to the light until the ear and snout read as a dog.

Try a movement: Tilt the head, then move the little finger to open and close the mouth.

Check the outline: If the muzzle disappears, turn the wrist slightly; keep the thumb ear above the snout.

Dog tutorial
shadowpals.com/explore/how-to-make-a-hand-shadow-dog

Palm-side view showing the dog pose’s raised thumb, bent index finger, and extended fingers
Keep the middle and ring fingers touching. The gaps shown here are an illustration limitation, not part of the pose. Move only the little finger to open the mouth.

Let children choose either pose—or stay with a simple shape. Making a recognizable animal is not the learning goal.

Shadow Pals · Light, Shadows & StoryKindergarten

Teacher copy

Notice learning, welcome every child

Look for

  • □ Points to the light, object, or shadow.
  • □ Shows or describes one change they noticed.

Make room for every learner

  • □ Begin with an open hand, relaxed fist, or cardstock shape.
  • □ Accept pointing, drawing, speaking, signing, or demonstration.
  • □ Let an adult scribe; animal poses are optional.
  • □ Use large-print cards and high-contrast outlines.
  • □ Offer a partner to shape cardstock or point to choices.
  • □ Reduce visual clutter by presenting one card at a time.
  • □ Describe every demonstration aloud.

Assess what children notice about light, not handwriting, finger dexterity, or performance. Model on your own hand; never force or reposition a child’s fingers.

Words to explore

light source
Something that gives off light.
shadow
A darker area where light is blocked.
silhouette
The filled-in outline of a shape.

Teacher science notes

A shadow forms where an object blocks light from reaching a surface.

Keep the light and screen fixed. Moving the object toward the light makes its shadow larger; toward the screen makes it smaller.

Turning an object changes the outline facing the light, changing its silhouette.

A shadow is an area receiving less light because an object blocks the light path.

Teaching sources

  1. Smithsonian Science Education Center: Light Our Way: Grade 1 Phenomenon
  2. Smithsonian Science Education Center: Focused Exploration: Light and Shadows
  3. Next Generation Science Standards: 1-PS4-3 Waves and Their Applications
  4. Exploratorium Institute for Inquiry: Subtle Shifts in Thinking
  5. NAEYC: What’s in a Shadow?

Educators may copy this packet for their own classes and those students’ families. Keep the credits. No resale or public rehosting. This permission does not cover third-party resources.

This indoor lesson explores shadows, not sunlight warming. It does not assess K-PS3-1. This is a lesson kit, not a complete or independently validated curriculum.

Student pages support drawing or teacher scribing. A child may instead explain, point, sign, or demonstrate a discovery.

Shadow Pals · Light, Shadows & StoryKindergarten

Individual student copy · draw & share

Predict, try & notice

Tell or show first. Drawing is optional.

Adult: show the lit wall. Ask for a prediction BEFORE putting the card in the beam. Then add the card and ask what happened. Keep the light and wall still.

I think…

What will happen? Tell, point, or show.

I saw…

What happened? Tell, point, or show. You may draw it here.

An adult may write your words. You do not need to write your name or a sentence.

Shadow Pals · Light, Shadows & StoryKindergarten

Shared student copy · one per pair

Our tiny shadow story

Tell, sign, or act out a story together.

Adult: model a short story with a shadow change. Read one prompt at a time.

  1. First: who arrives?
  2. Next: what happens?
  3. Last: how does it end?

Choose one moment

Show what your shadow did. If you want, draw one moment here.

An adult may write your words. Telling or showing your story is enough.

Shadow Pals · Light, Shadows & StoryGrades 1–3

Teacher copy

Light, Shadows & Story

Grades 1–3 · 30 minutes · 5-minute prep

Tell your learners: “We will find out how to change a shadow, then use it to tell a story.”

Fixed lightMove only the cardFixed screen

Allow 5 minutes to set up after printing and gathering equipment. Test a visible shadow before learners arrive.

The core time covers a short demonstration, practice, partner storytelling, and oral reflection. Drawing, station rotations, whole-class performances, and investigations need additional time. Student sheets are optional recording tools, not a completion checklist.

Gather

  • □ One cool LED flashlight or lamp
  • □ A plain wall or securely clipped white sheet
  • □ Figure cards and student pages from this packet
  • □ Pencils and clipboards or firm writing surfaces
  • □ Teacher-prepared cardstock shapes
  • □ Optional: transparent plastic, wax paper, cardstock, and teacher-managed foil or mirror
  • □ Optional: ruler or tape measure for the grade 3 extension

Keep everyone safe

  • □ Use cool LED lights only; do not use candles, lasers, or hot lamps.
  • □ Keep beams below eye level and never shine a light into anyone’s eyes.
  • □ Secure sheets, cords, and stands; keep walking paths clear.
  • □ An adult handles reflective materials and redirects stray reflections.

Dim the room only as needed. Keep faces out of the beam and walking routes visible.

Print once, then copy

Pages 1–6: one teacher set. Pages 7–10: student masters, grouped at the end for copying.

Copy page 7 for each student. Copy page 8 for each student doing the optional investigation. Copy page 9 for each pair or group. Copy page 10 for each student.

Print at actual size on Letter, or fit to printable area on A4. These activities work from the printed pages.

Whole-class theater

  1. Aim one cool LED light at a wall or taut sheet.
  2. Mark a performer spot and audience line. Use a few volunteers; seated partners predict, practice shapes, and plan stories.
  3. Do not queue every pair in the core lesson. Offer later supervised center turns so everyone can test a shadow.

Small-group stations

  1. Prepare one light and vertical screen per group of 3–4 before teaching.
  2. Combine roles as needed: maker, narrator, observer. An adult checks light safety.
  3. Work simultaneously. Swap maker after each try; add time for full rotations.
Shadow Pals · Light, Shadows & StoryGrades 1–3

Teacher copy

Your 30-minute lesson

  1. 4 min

    Notice a shadow

    Teacher: Show a card shadow; remove the card and compare.

    Children: Point out the light, object, screen, and shadow.

    Ask: What has to be present for this shadow to appear?

    Listen for: Identify a light, an object in its path, and a screen.

  2. 6 min

    Change one position

    Teacher: Move a rigid card toward the light without turning it. Keep light and screen fixed.

    Children: Predict aloud, watch, then compare with a partner.

    Ask: Predict what will change when this card moves toward the light. Keep the light and wall still. Try it, then compare with your prediction.

    Listen for: The shadow grows as the card moves toward the fixed light.

    Optional recording: page 7. Oral responses fit the core time.

  3. 8 min

    Build a figure

    Teacher: Demonstrate one shape. Use volunteers or prepared stations; offer the cards as choices.

    Children: Choose one shape, not all five. Try or observe one slow turn.

    Ask: Choose one comfortable figure or shape. Which small turn makes its outline easiest to recognize?

    Listen for: Turning the shape changes its outline. Comfortable shapes count.

  4. 8 min

    Create a tiny story

    Teacher: Model a three-part story using a shadow change. Invite one brief demonstration.

    Children: Rehearse with a partner or group. Use a turn or size change in the story.

    Ask: What does your character want, what changes, and how does the scene end?

    Listen for: Groups use movement, speech, or signing to show first, next, and last.

    For example: First, a card character hides edge-on. Next, it turns to face the light and appears. Last, it turns edge-on and hides again.

    Optional recording: page 9. Oral responses fit the core time.

  5. 4 min

    Share evidence

    Teacher: Ask the exit questions aloud. Listen for what changed and what was observed.

    Children: Point to the setup and say: I changed ___. I noticed ___.

    Ask: What did you change, and what happened to the shadow?

    Listen for: Use an observed shadow change to explain an idea.

    Optional recording: page 10. Oral responses fit the core time.

Shadow Pals · Light, Shadows & StoryGrades 1–3

Teacher copy

Science notes & teaching sources

Four ideas to teach

  1. A shadow forms where an object blocks light from reaching a surface.
  2. Keep the light and screen fixed. Moving the object toward the light makes its shadow larger; toward the screen makes it smaller.
  3. At fixed distances, a larger emitting area can produce a wider partially lit edge. Beam focus alone does not determine softness.
  4. Turning an object changes the outline facing the light, changing its silhouette.

Check a misconception

A shadow is a thing that follows you.
A shadow is an area receiving less light because an object blocks the light path.
Dark objects make shadows; light objects do not.
Any material that blocks enough light can form a visible shadow.
Closer always means bigger.
Name what is closer to what. In our fixed light-and-screen setup, the object’s distance from the light changes projected size.
Every shadow has a perfectly sharp edge.
The light source’s geometry affects edge softness; compare sources while keeping the object and screen fixed.

For a separate Grade 3 session, use a rigid card and pretest a clear-edged shadow. Model measuring from card to screen and across the shadow’s widest width before students record three positions.

Model on your own hand; never force or reposition a child’s fingers. Accept spoken, signed, drawn, or demonstrated answers. Assess science separately from dexterity and group participation.

Teacher answer notes

  1. Identifies the lamp, card or hand, and shadow on the screen. Follow up: point to the object, then its shadow.
  2. For example, I moved the card toward the light and its shadow grew. Follow up: what stayed still? Accept other observed changes.
  3. The card or hand blocked the light. Follow up: remove it and ask what happens on the screen.

Standards connection

NGSS 1-PS4-3 supporting connection
The materials investigation supports this expectation; it is not a full alignment claim. The indoor lesson does not assess kindergarten’s sunlight-warming expectation, K-PS3-1.

Teaching sources

  1. Smithsonian Science Education Center: Light Our Way: Grade 1 Phenomenon
  2. Smithsonian Science Education Center: Focused Exploration: Light and Shadows
  3. Next Generation Science Standards: 1-PS4-3 Waves and Their Applications
  4. Exploratorium Institute for Inquiry: Subtle Shifts in Thinking
  5. Exploratorium: Facets of Light: Shadows and Light Sources
  6. NAEYC: What’s in a Shadow?

Educators may copy this packet for their own classes and those students’ families. Keep the credits. No resale or public rehosting. This permission does not cover third-party resources.

This is a lesson kit, not a complete or independently validated curriculum. Find source notes and preparation guides on the Teachers website.

Shadow Pals · Light, Shadows & StoryGrades 1–3

Teacher copy

Try a Turtle or Bird

Turtle

  1. Curl all four fingers into one relaxed, rounded fist.
  2. Fold the thumb close to the fingers so it does not stick out.
  3. Turn the rounded side toward the light to make a compact shell silhouette.

Try a movement: Move the shell slowly forward with a tiny bob.

Check the outline: If the shell looks jagged, relax the knuckles and tuck the thumb closer. This simple pose shows a shell, not separate legs or a head.

Turtle tutorial
shadowpals.com/explore/how-to-make-a-hand-shadow-turtle

Palm-side reference showing the curled fingers of the hand used for the turtle shell
One-hand shell pose. Keep the fist comfortable, not tightly clenched.

Bird

  1. Turn both palms toward the light and cross your hands at the wrists.
  2. Keep the four fingers of each hand straight and together, pointing out as broad wings.
  3. Cross and fold the thumbs at the center; raise one thumb slightly to make the head.

Try a movement: Lift and lower both wrists together for a slow flap while the fingers stay grouped.

Check the outline: If the wings look feathery or uneven, bring each set of four fingers together and keep both palms level.

Bird tutorial
shadowpals.com/explore/how-to-make-a-hand-shadow-classic-bird

Two palms with grouped fingers making a classic bird shadow pose
AI-generated pose illustration. Follow the written hand-position instructions.
Shadow Pals · Light, Shadows & StoryGrades 1–3

Teacher copy

Explore a Cat or Dog

Cat

  1. Make a relaxed fist, with the middle and ring fingers curled into the palm.
  2. Lift the index and little fingers slightly; curl their tips to make two short ears.
  3. Tuck the thumb and turn the hand until both ears show above the round head.

Try a movement: Make the cat look left and right, then twitch one ear.

Check the outline: If the ears merge, open a small gap between them and move closer to the screen for a smaller outline.

Cat tutorial
shadowpals.com/explore/how-to-make-a-hand-shadow-cat

Palm-side view showing the curled fingers and outer points of the cat pose

Dog

  1. Hold the fingers together and bend the index finger to shape the snout.
  2. Raise the thumb for the ear. Keep the middle and ring fingers together; the little finger forms the lower jaw.
  3. Turn the hand sideways to the light until the ear and snout read as a dog.

Try a movement: Tilt the head, then move the little finger to open and close the mouth.

Check the outline: If the muzzle disappears, turn the wrist slightly; keep the thumb ear above the snout.

Dog tutorial
shadowpals.com/explore/how-to-make-a-hand-shadow-dog

Palm-side view showing the dog pose’s raised thumb, bent index finger, and extended fingers
Keep the middle and ring fingers touching. The gaps shown here are an illustration limitation, not part of the pose. Move only the little finger to open the mouth.
Shadow Pals · Light, Shadows & StoryGrades 1–3

Teacher copy

Rabbit: an optional challenge

For learners ready to try a more coordinated pose. Choose another shape if this feels uncomfortable; the science and story goals stay the same.

Rabbit

  1. Curl the index finger toward the thumb to make the head loop.
  2. Raise the middle and ring fingers as ears; tuck the little finger into the palm.
  3. Turn the hand sideways to the light until the loop and both ears show.

Try a movement: Make one ear listen, then let the rabbit nibble.

Check the outline: If the head looks like a fist, separate the ear fingers and turn the wrist slightly sideways.

Rabbit tutorial
shadowpals.com/explore/how-to-make-a-hand-shadow-rabbit

Thumb-side view showing the rabbit’s thumb-index loop, two finger ears, and tucked little finger
Thumb-side view: look for the head loop and two ears.

Rehearse, then share

First, a card character hides edge-on. Next, it turns to face the light and appears. Last, it turns edge-on and hides again.

Assess collaboration separately: did each learner have a way to contribute?

Use one shadow change in your story. Tell, sign, or act it out first; draw later if useful. A narrator can help.

The Bird illustration was created with AI. Other hand references use Shadow Pals’ first-party pose model.

Shadow Pals · Light, Shadows & StoryGrades 1–3

Individual student copy · draw & share

Predict, try & notice

Name:

Move the object. Keep the light and screen still.

I think…

I saw…

Draw, tell, point, or show what changed.

Grade 3 only: optional investigation

Grades 1–2: stop here. Tell a partner what changed.

Keep the light and screen fixed. Move the same upright card to three marked positions without turning it. At each, measure card-to-screen distance and the shadow’s widest width in centimeters. Repeat a surprising measurement.

PositionCard-to-screen distance (cm)Shadow width (cm)
1
2
3

What pattern do your measurements show?

Shadow Pals · Light, Shadows & StoryGrades 1–3

Individual student copy · draw & share

Materials in the Beam

Name:

Date:

Optional follow-up: 15–20 minutes, outside the core lesson.

  1. Keep the light, screen, and test spot fixed.
  2. First observe the screen with nothing in the beam. Use this as your comparison.
  3. Predict, then test one material at a time in the same spot.
  4. Draw or write what you notice. Compare with the empty beam before naming material groups.
MaterialI predictI notice
clear plastic sheet
wax paper or tracing paper
cardstock or a book

After observing, discuss: transparent lets light through clearly; translucent scatters it; opaque blocks it.

Watch your teacher: reflected light

Teacher demonstration: use foil or a small mirror to redirect light toward a second card, away from faces. A reflective material may also be opaque: reflection and transmission describe different behaviors.

Draw where the light went in this box. Or tell your teacher where it went.

Shadow Pals · Light, Shadows & StoryGrades 1–3

Shared student copy · one per pair or group

Make a tiny shadow story

Work with a partner or small group. Share one planner and take turns adding ideas.

Names of our storytellers:

First: who arrives?

Next: what happens?

Last: how does it end?

Use one shadow change in your story. Tell, sign, or act it out first; draw later if useful. A narrator can help.

Choose or rotate roles

  • □ Maker: holds or moves a shape
  • □ Narrator: tells or signs the story
  • □ Light watcher: checks fixed positions
  • □ Observer: notices a clear movement
  • □ Recorder: draws or writes a discovery

Try it together

  • □ Our shape moves slowly enough to follow.
  • □ Our story has a first, next, and last.
  • □ Everyone has a way to take part.

Movement to try:

Shadow Pals · Light, Shadows & StoryGrades 1–3

Individual student copy · draw & share

My shadow discovery

Name:

Date:

1. Point to or draw the light, object, and shadow.

2. What did you change? What did you notice?

3. What blocked the light? Show or tell.

You can draw, tell, point, sign, or show your answer.