This lesson was developed as part of Missouri's eMINTS Project (enhancing Missouri's Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies).

This lesson is to be used to give third graders a better understanding of shadows and how we can use them. This lesson helps students understand the growing and shrinking of shadows and how the sun is responsible for the movement. This webquest has also been used to show students changes in seasons and how the Earth changes positions making the sun's light less intense in some places and more intense in others.

Learners:
Third grade students could easily use this webquest in a science curriculum. This lesson could easily be extended to fourth and fifth grade.

Students will need to know basic computer skills in Power Point and typing, measurement skills and basic math skills of addition and graphing with bar and/or line graphs.

Standards

Performance Standards:

Goal 1.2 -- Conduct research to answer questions and evaluate information and ideas.

Goal 1.4 -- Use technological tools and other resources to locate, select and organize information.

Goal 1.8 -- Organize data, information and ideas into useful forms for analysis or presentation.

Goal 2.1-- Plan and make written, oral and visual presentations for a variety of purposes and audiences.

Knowledge Standards:

Science Standards Addressed:

5. Processes and interactions of earth's biosphere, atmosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere.

6. Composition and structure of the universe and motions of the objects within it.

Additional Skills:

Not only does this lesson cover several Missouri Knowledge and Performance Standards, it also teaches children reasoning skills, predicting and how to work well in a group. Students must be able cooperate to get to the end result for this webquest. The students will also build observation skills, teamwork skills, and utilize creative problem solving approaches.