Shadows naturally fascinate children but when technology is incorporated that’s when the fun really begins! In this unit, My Shadow, students will discover the way shadows are formed, changed, and located while turning wonders into questions. We will be using Seesaw app, Book Creator , and Youtube to allow students to perform activities throughout the unit. Here is some more information about the two apps that students will be using.
What Is It?
During this activity students will get to play a game where they guess what object is making the shadow. On the next scheduled inquiry day the class gets to watch a short YouTube video where they play guess the shadow and then they will get to go outside and use Book Creator to make a guessing game book. This can also be done by using flashlight/lamps if the weather does not allow for outside exploration.
**Teacher Tech Tip** Students will need to be grouped together depending on the number of devices available. Teachers will need a maximum of 4 ipads that will be shared for a total of four books made.
So let’s get started. First have your students watch the Youtube video “What Is It?”
During this video students will get to practice guessing what shadow is being made.
Then you will need to give each group time to create the cover page of their book in the app Book Creator. Students must use the title, Shadows, click the plus sign and then click the information icon (circle with the i in the middle) to design their cover. This step is optional depending on student proficiency of Book Creator. Teachers can also create the cover in advance. Next the class will go outside to find shadows. The students will open Book Creator and click on their premade book. Then at the top right side of the page students will click on the plus sign to add two pictures to the book. The student will take one picture of a shadow and then take another picture of the object that made that shadow. Then the student will pass the iPad to the next student in the group to continue adding pictures. After all students have had a turn taking two pictures the teacher will share the books to Seesaw. This allows all students to get to view the books.
**Teacher Tech Tip** Here is how you will share the books in Book Creator to Seesaw.
What Makes a Shadow?
This activity allows students to show what they know! It needs to occur on the next inquiry day after reading the story, What Makes a Shadow. The class will get to watch the youtube video Shadow, where what they learned in the book, What Makes a Shadow, is reinforced.
Make sure you go back and revisit the book. They will then get to show what they know by using Seesaw to make a video discussing how shadows are formed. Students will use Seesaw to video themselves talking about the three important things needed to make a shadow. Students can be paired together or have one to one devices depending on iPad availability.
This activity has a task card in Seesaw that shows students how to start their video recording. If time allows students can get paired up to share their videos and reflect on the activity.
This activity allows students to explore making shadows with their bodies. During the next scheduled inquiry day the class will go outside and make shadows with their bodies while their partner traces their shadow with chalk. This short youtube video, Why Do I Have a Shadow? can be played before heading outside to explore making shadows.
While the students are outside making and tracing shadows with chalk the teacher is using Book Creator to take pictures of them and their chalk creations. Upon returning to class the teacher will make a shadow book to share with all students in Seesaw. Here is the helpful link to show you how to share the books in Book Creator .
All three of these activities will not only enhance technology usage among students in your classroom but it will also provide students with many opportunities to collaborate and engage with peers, which we all know is VERY important in kindergarten! HAPPY LEARNING!
Standards
ELA K.C. 1.2 CS K.DL.1.2, K.CS.1.2 AuthorsCarian Brooks
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