observing and recording shadows in the junior infant classroom

[Helen Colfer]

As a junior and senior infant teacher, I experience young children’s concept of time n a daily bases. Their awareness of time can be observed in their questioning and stories they share. For example; when is it lunch time? when are we going home? when is it my turn? When are we doing PE? These are events that they know are happening in the near future. Responding with ‘5 minutes’ or ’30 minutes’ often indicates that they do, or don’t understand an amount of time passing. Further questions such as; when is it my birthday? or stories involving holidays past, indicates awareness of time as having past and of what is yet to happen.

However, young children, find it hard to understand the concept of time as something that can be measured. Using their shadows is a fun way to demonstrate how time can me observed and measured.

First I would pre teach how the sun was used to tell the time long ago before watches, phones and other modern ways to get the time. I would keep vocabulary simple. For example using morning, afternoon, evening. I would keep it relevant to their experience too. Small break, big break, hometime.

We would go outside, working in partners, draw around are shadows at different times of the school day. Each child will stand in the same spot and have their shadow redrawn each time. They will observe the shadow move. Before each drawing, We will observe where the sun is. I will ask do you think your shadow will move? Why do you think that?

This activity will help them learn about time in relation to where the sun is in the morning and day time. Importantly, it will be a fun activity for them to do.

[Author]

Posts