Primary 1 · Science · Earth and space sciences
Changes in the sky and land
Children observe the Sun, Moon and clouds over a day and notice how places like gardens and creeks change after rain or across seasons.
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These lessons were written around Australian Curriculum strands and matched to Singapore levels by age (Primary 1 is the first year of primary school). They are not aligned to MOE syllabuses or the PSLE, so check them against the syllabus your child is working towards.
Learning goals
Learners will
- Observe how the Sun, Moon and clouds change during a day.
- Describe how gardens, creeks and other places change after rain.
- Notice changes in the land across the seasons.
Success looks like
- I can say where the Sun seems to be in the morning, middle of the day and evening.
- I can describe how the garden looks before and after rain.
- I can name one change in plants or the land through the year.
The big idea
The sky changes during the day. In the morning the Sun rises low in the sky. Around the middle of the day it is high in the sky. In the evening it sinks low again and sets.
It looks as if the Sun moves across the sky, but really it is Earth slowly spinning around.
We can see this change with shadows. In the morning and evening shadows are long. In the middle of the day they are short.
The Moon is often easiest to see at night, but sometimes we can see it in the daytime too. Over a few weeks its shape seems to change from a thin curve to a full circle and back again.
Clouds move across the sky because the wind pushes them. They change shape as they move. Some clouds are white and fluffy, and dark grey clouds often bring rain.
The land changes after rain. Soil looks darker and feels muddy, puddles form, creeks fill up and flow faster, and plants look fresh and green. After a long dry spell, soil can crack and grass turns brown.
Places change across the seasons too. Some trees lose their leaves and grow new ones later, flowers bloom at certain times of year, and creeks may be full in some seasons and low in others.
Safety: never look straight at the Sun, even with sunglasses. It can hurt your eyes.
Worked examples
Shadow stick
How does a shadow change during a sunny day?
- Put the stick in a sunny spot in the morning and mark the end of its shadow with chalk.
- Mark the shadow again around the middle of the day.
- Mark it once more in the afternoon.
- Compare: the shadow was long in the morning, short in the middle of the day and long again later. It also pointed in a different direction.
Answer: The shadow changes length and direction because the Sun seems to move across the sky.
Cloud watching
What happens to clouds if you watch them for five minutes?
- Lie on a mat and pick one cloud near a tree or roof.
- Watch it for a few minutes.
- Notice it has moved away from the tree and changed shape.
Answer: Clouds move with the wind and change shape.
Garden after rain
Compare the garden on a dry day with the garden after rain.
- Dry day: soil is light coloured and dusty, plants may droop.
- After rain: soil is dark and muddy, there are puddles and worms may come to the surface.
- Draw two pictures side by side to show the change.
Answer: Rain makes the soil wet and dark, fills puddles and creeks, and freshens the plants.
Practice check
Have a go, then check your answers. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Answer guide for parents
At which time of day is your shadow shortest?
Around the middle of the day — The Sun is highest in the middle of the day, so shadows are shortest.
Can we sometimes see the Moon in the daytime?
Yes — The Moon is often visible in the daytime sky.
What must you never do when observing the sky?
Look straight at the Sun — Looking at the Sun can damage your eyes.
What usually happens to a creek after lots of rain?
It fills up and flows faster — Rain water runs into creeks, so they get fuller and faster.
Why do clouds move across the sky?
The wind pushes them — Moving air (wind) carries clouds along.
The Sun sets in the ____ (morning or evening).
evening — The Sun sets in the evening.
After rain, water collects in small dips in the ground. What are these called?
puddles — Small pools of rain water are puddles.
What do we call the time when the Sun first appears in the morning?
sunrise — This is sunrise.
Watch out for
- Children often think the Sun moves around Earth. It looks that way, but Earth is spinning.
- Many children think the Moon only comes out at night. It is often in the sky during the day too.
- Some children think the land never changes. Rain, dry weather and the seasons change places all the time.
Tips for parents
- Check the sky at breakfast, lunch and dinner and talk about what has changed.
- Take photos of the same garden spot before and after rain to compare.
- Safety: never look at the Sun, wear sun protection, keep away from fast-flowing creeks and drains after rain, and wash hands after playing in mud.
Go further
- Keep a Moon diary: draw the Moon's shape each evening you can see it for two weeks.
- Find shapes in the clouds and draw them.
- Choose one tree and take a photo of it every month to see how it changes through the year.
About 35 minutes
You'll need
- A stick or pencil pushed into a lump of play dough, or a toy figure, to make a shadow
- A sunny spot outside and chalk or small stones to mark the shadow
- Paper and crayons for a sky diary
- Rain boots for a puddle walk after rain
Key words
- sunrise
- The time in the morning when the Sun first appears in the sky.
- sunset
- The time in the evening when the Sun goes out of sight.
- Moon
- The large, round object that travels around Earth. We often see it at night, and sometimes in the day.
- cloud
- A mass of tiny drops of water or ice floating in the sky.
- shadow
- A dark shape made when something blocks light.
- puddle
- A small pool of water that collects on the ground after rain.
Still tricky?
For parents
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