LIGHLIGHTT

ANDAND

SHADOSHADOWSWS

Adult supervision and guidance is required for all Science Club activities. Click here to view risk assessments.

What do we know about Shadows?Shadows are formed when something blocks light, like the light from the Sun or a light bulb.

Can you tell what objects are making these shadows? Click to see if you are right!

Nevit Dilmen / CC-BY-2.0

MTSRS / CC-BY-2.0

What do we know about Shadows?Shadows?

Which of these objects are opaque, translucent and transparent? Do they all make shadows? Can you find more examples at home?

What do we know about Shadows?Shadows?

What do we know about Shadows?Shadows?Find an opaque object and hold it next to a lamp. What happens to the size of its shadow as you move it closer to and further away from the light?

Closer Further

Snail

Shadow Hand Puppets In a dark room, shine a lamp or torch on the wall, and stand between the light and the wall.Can you make these shadow hand puppets?

Flying Bird

Shadow Hand Puppets

Dog

What other hand puppets can you make?

Shadow Hand Puppets

Making Shadow Puppets

• What you need• A cardboard box• Thin white paper• Card• Drinking straws• Scissors• Sticky tape• A lamp or torch

• Cut the middle out of both sides of the box, leaving 1-2 cms around the outside.

• Keep hold of the bits of card - you can use these pieces to make your puppets.

Making Shadow Puppets

• Tape the white paper over one side of the box.

• If you want to, you can decorate your theatre as well!

Making Shadow Puppets

• Cut some shadow puppets out of the card. Make sure they are small enough to fit inside your theatre.

• Tape a straw to the back of your puppets.

Making Shadow Puppets

• Set your theatre up with the light behind it

• Now you are ready to perform your shadow puppet play!

Making Shadow Puppets

Send us photos of your shadow puppets or your light and shadow experiments, and we’ll add them to the Science Club Gallery!

Your Science Club Photos