Activity Title: Day and Night: Understanding Sunlight with a Ball and Torch
Objective: To help students visualize and understand the concept of day and night as it relates to the Earth’s rotation and the position of the sun.
Description: In this interactive activity, students will use a ball to represent Earth and a torch (flashlight) to represent the sun. They will observe how light falls on one side of the ball, leaving the other side in shadow, illustrating day and night on Earth.
Students will rotate the ball slowly to mimic the Earth's rotation, noticing how different areas are exposed to light at different times. They will also learn how this movement explains sunrise, noon, and sunset, as well as how the Earth’s rotation impacts daily temperature changes.
Materials Needed:
A large ball (to represent Earth)
A torch or flashlight (to represent the sun)
Dark room (optional, to make the effect clearer)
Steps:
1. Position the ball in front of the torch.
2. Shine the torch on one side of the ball.
3. Rotate the ball slowly and observe how light only falls on one side at a time, while the other side remains dark.
Students will understand the concept of day and night, the Earth’s rotation, and how sunlight influences our perception of time throughout the day. They’ll gain a clearer visual understanding of how the sun appears to move across the sky.
This activity is an engaging way to make abstract scientific concepts more tangible, helping students better grasp the Earth’s rotation and its impact on day and night.
