The activity I would explore in the junior classroom is the Sun & Shadows. I really enjoy outdoor lessons where the children can explore the environment and the world around them.
The learning outcomes would be to:
• discover that light travels in a straight line; obstacles placed in the way of the light cause it to change direction
• know how a shadow is formed
• discover that the length of the shadow changes if the position of the light source changes
• know that the shadow on Earth changes because the Earth moves
• discover that the position of the shadow changes if the position of the light source changes
The children would be paired up. One child would stand up with the sun shining down on them & their partner would have to trace their shadow. The other child would stand in a different area/direction and they would investigate if the shadows are similar or different and the reasons for this.
If it is not a sunny day this activity can be altered to the classroom, with a light source (torch) and different objects to put in the way to create shadows. The partner can trace the shadow on a piece of paper. The students can also change what direction and distance the light source is shining from, investigating if the shadow is affected by this.