The Sun
You all sure knew a lot about the sun! We started our lesson by making a chart of everything you knew and here is what it included: it revolves around the Earth, it is a star, it is bright, is is out all day, it is huge, it sets at night, it is very hot, is gives us light, GOD created it, it is colorful: red, yellow, orange, white, it is in outer space, it gives us warmth, it is still there even when there are clouds, and it gives us Vitamin D.
"The Sun is Kind of a Big Deal" is a great book that gives so much information about the sun in a very amusing way. What it boils down to is that we need the sun to sustain life here on Earth, because it provides us with warmth and light, both of which we need to stay healthy and to grow food. I'm so thankful to our God for planning everything so wonderfully. For additonal information about the sun follow this link: Here Comes the Sun.
Check out this fun song, by Scratch Garden, about the sun: The Sun Song.
The Sun's Heat and Protecting Yourself
Although the light and the warmth the sun provides for us is necessary, it can also be dangerous. If we went to outerspace we could not go anywhere close to the sun because of it's intense heat. Just think about how hot you get in the summer when you are playing outside; the sun is approximately 150 million kilometers away and it still makes us sweat! It takes about 8 minutes for the light from the sun to reach Earth.
We need to sure we are protecting ourselves from the sun. As a class, we brainstormed ways that we can do just that and this is what you came up with: wearning sunscreen or sunblock, wearing sunglasses, wearing a hat, wearing swim shirts, and taking a break in the shade. We also learned that there is special clothing made with material that blocks the sun too. Take a look at this video again about the importance of protecting yourself while you are outside: Why Should You Wear Sunscreen?.
Shadows
When light is blocked by an object, a shadow is created. We had a lot of fun creating shadows in class with our personal flashlights, rubber ducks, and our hands. As we experimented, we learned that when the source of light moves the shadow also moves! Check out some of the resources below to learn more about shadows.
VIDEOS
BOOKS
"The Day I Met My Shadow" by Melissa Brun
ACTIVITIES