Fifth graders at Dutch Lane Elementary School in Hicksville are bringing the classroom outside as part of a science experiment. During the space systems unit, teacher Stephanie Sullo engaged her students in a lesson that explored the length and positions of shadows, depending on the position of the sun in the sky.
(Photo courtesy of the Hicksville School District)
Students were given a cardboard circle, a piece of aluminum foil and strips of masking tape to build a structure. They used the structure to collect data about how different angles of sunlight create different shadows. The lesson gave students the opportunity to explore a new concept while discovering new information through experimentation.
(Photo courtesy of the Hicksville School District)
Sullo says the lesson had a multitude of benefits for students. They were able to collaborate with each other to share data, while staying socially distant. The partnership brought a social aspect to the lesson during a time when many students may feel distant. The lesson also brought the class outside, despite a cold January day, which lifted the students’ spirits during the pandemic.
(Photo courtesy of the Hicksville School District)
-Submitted by the Hicksville School District
