All lessons › Earth and the Sun › Lesson 1
Australian primary science · Year 6 · Lesson 1 of 3
Spinning into night
Inquiry question: Why do we have day and night, and why do shadows change during the day?
Marked no materials needed
Pattern seeking
What students learn
Earth spins on its axis once a day. The side facing the Sun has day; the side facing away has night. As Earth turns, the Sun seems to move across our sky, so shadows change.
Success criteria
- I can find the times when it is night in the simulation.
- I can describe the pattern in shadow length and direction.
- I can explain day, night and the pattern using Earth’s rotation.
Preparation and materials
Before this lesson: Students know the Sun rises in the east and sets in the west, and that shadows form when light is blocked.
- iPads with Bottlebrush Education open (nothing else needed) — 13 (one per pair)
- Projector or big screen — 1
Teacher setup
- Open Earth & space › Lab › Sun and shadows on your screen to demonstrate.
- Check the iPads are charged and set to Your year › Years 5–6.
Safety and adaptations
Follow school science and equipment risk assessment procedures for the materials used.
Review your school policies and curriculum requirements before teaching.
How to investigate
The lesson sequence should leave pupils with evidence to interpret, not only an activity to finish.
- Pairs keep the time of year on Autumn or spring and try every time from 6 am to 8 pm.
- Note which times are night.
- Measure and record the shadow at five daytime times.
- Read the pattern message under the Shadow log and explain it using Earth’s spin.
- Play Space and rock clues to check ideas.
Teacher modelling prompt
On the big screen, tap a prediction first (Measure and record stays greyed out until you do). Then choose Autumn or spring, then 10 am, and press Measure and record. Think aloud: “The Sun is 45° up, the shadow is about 1.0 m and points west.” Then choose 8 pm: “Night time. The button is greyed out because there’s no Sun to make a shadow. Our side of Earth has turned away from the Sun.”
Record and explain evidence
Recording question: How do day, night and shadows change during one day?
| Time | Day or night? | Shadow length (m) | Shadow direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| ________________ | ________________ | ________________ | ________________ |
Example recording headings; record actual observations, including inconclusive results.
Discussion prompt
Both ideas could explain sunrise and sunset. What other evidence tells us Jack is right?
Check understanding
What should pupils know? What causes day and night?
Explain with evidence: Describe the pattern in your shadow lengths and directions.
Apply the idea: A friend in Perth phones you in Sydney just after your sunrise. Has the Sun risen in Perth yet? Explain.
Teacher answer guidance and saved classroom work are available through the main lesson experience where supported.