Shadows, Days and Stars
A 60-minute Grade 5 lesson on representing data graphically to reveal daily and seasonal patterns in the sky.
Shadows, Days and Stars is a free 60-minute Grade 5 science lesson plan for Common Core standard 5-ESS1-2 — graph data on shadows, day and night, and the stars across a year. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Grade 5
- Length:
- 60 minutes
- Standard:
- 5-ESS1-2
Grade 5 · Earth and Space Science
5-ESS1-2
Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky.
Objective
Students will be able to graph sky data and describe the pattern it reveals.
Students are successful when they can
- Chooses axes that reveal the pattern.
- Describes the pattern from the graph.
- Distinguishes a daily pattern from a yearly one.
What you need
- Shadow length data for one day and for four dates across a year
- Squared paper and rulers
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up
5 min- Show a list of shadow lengths and ask what the pattern is.
- Note how hard it is to see from a list.
Teach — the graph does the revealing
15 min- Plot shadow length against time for one day. The curve dips at noon.
- Say what the graph reveals that the list did not.
- Now plot noon shadow against date across a year. Longest in December, shortest in June.
- Ask which is the daily pattern and which the yearly one.
- Add day length across the year on the same axes and compare the shapes.
- Say the rule: choose the axes that would show the pattern if it were there.
“Which pattern is this — one day, or one year?”
Investigate — measure and plot
22 min- Groups measure a stick's shadow at three times in the day.
- They plot their points and describe the daily pattern.
- They then plot supplied year data for the same place.
- They write one sentence for each pattern and say how they differ.
Independent practice
15 min- Students complete the 'Shadows, Days and Stars' page.
- Point at the tallest and shortest bar with a pupil who is stuck.
Close
3 min- Ask what they would predict for the shadow next December.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Confuses the daily and yearly patterns.
Why: Both are about shadows.
Fix: Ask what is on the horizontal axis: hours, or dates?
Plots without labelling axes.
Why: The maker knows.
Fix: Swap graphs. An unlabelled axis reveals nothing.
Thinks the sun moves round the Earth because the shadow does.
Why: That is the appearance.
Fix: Stay with the pattern. Explaining it is a later question.
If they are not there yet
- Three data points to plot.
- Axes drawn and labelled in advance.
If they finish early
- Predict a shadow length for a date not measured.
- Explain why March and September shadows match.
- Graph which constellations are visible by season.
Exit ticket
A noon shadow is 3.2 m in December and 0.5 m in June. What pattern does that reveal, and over what period?
What to look for: A yearly pattern: shadows are longest in winter and shortest in summer. Naming a daily pattern means the two need separating.
Printable practice for 5-ESS1-2
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Shadows, Days and StarsLook at the data, then answer.
Questions about Shadows, Days and Stars
How long does the Shadows, Days and Stars lesson take?
60 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 15 min, investigate 22 min, independent practice 15 min, close 3 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does Shadows, Days and Stars teach?
5-ESS1-2 — 5-ESS1-2, Earth and Space Science for Grade 5: “Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky.” In plain terms, graph data on shadows, day and night, and the stars across a year.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
Shadow length data for one day and for four dates across a year, squared paper and rulers and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: confuses the daily and yearly patterns; plots without labelling axes and thinks the sun moves round the Earth because the shadow does. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “A noon shadow is 3.2 m in December and 0.5 m in June. What pattern does that reveal, and over what period?.” A yearly pattern: shadows are longest in winter and shortest in summer. Naming a daily pattern means the two need separating. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with Shadows, Days and Stars?
Yes — 1 printable 5-ESS1-2 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is Shadows, Days and Stars free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 8 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-09-08. Aligned to 5-ESS1-2 of the Next Generation Science Standards.