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Materials
- shoebox theaters from the Mini Shadow Theater learning center
- flashlights, one per pair of children
- small objects to use to make shadows (plastic toys, blocks, Popsicle sticks, utensils, pom-poms, etc.)
- tall, flat surface to place theaters on (desk, table, etc.)
- camera
Key Science Concepts
- A shadow shows the shape of an object, but it doesn’t show colors or many other details.
- You can change the shape of a shadow by moving and turning your body or the object making the shadow or by moving the light source.
- You can combine shadows to make different shadow shapes.
Vocabulary
Continue to encourage children to use words like theater, shadow, light, lamp, shine, outline, shape, solid, dark, move, and rotate. Emphasize science process words like describe, compare, notice, and observe.
Directions
Tell children that they will tell a story using their mini shadow theater.
- Have children work in pairs. Give each pair a shadow theater, a flashlight, and an assortment of small objects they can use to make shadows.
- Have one child make a shadow with an object while the partner watches from the other side. Encourage children to move their object around and hold it in different positions or combine objects to make a single shadow. They can tell the story aloud, or have their characters talk. They can also make sound effects.
- Then, have the pairs switch roles, so that each child has the chance to put on a short performance while their partner watches from the other side.
- Take photos of the shadows that the children make as well as photos of what they use to make them.
Reflect and Share
Gather children to discuss their experiences playing with the mini shadow theaters. Ask, Can you explain how this mini shadow theater works? How are the shadows made? Why do we put the objects between the light and the wax paper screen?
Then ask about the plays they put on:
- What story did you tell?
- Who were the characters in your story? What objects did you use for your characters?
