Little Lab Coats
Shadow Clock Mini Lab Reference Card
Grade 1
The Sun’s position in the sky appears to change, and shadows can help us observe that daytime pattern.
Unit sample
1-ESS1 · Sun, Moon & Stars
Free Little Lab Coats sample for teaching the big idea at home.
Key vocabulary
Sunshadowpatternobservedirectiondaytime
What to notice
- Shadows are evidence of sunlight direction.
- Shadows can change during the day.
- Time labels help reveal patterns.
Materials snapshot
- Toy or pencil standing upright
- Paper
- Sunny spot
- Crayon
- Clock or timer
- Tape
Talk-about prompts
- Where was the shadow first?
- Where was it later?
- What pattern might happen tomorrow?
Why it matters
A strong answer says the shadow changed direction or length between times, showing a daytime pattern connected to the Sun’s apparent position.
Family bridge: This card helps parents coach the evidence sentence with quick, concrete language at home.