Sun, moon, stars, and daylight (grade 1) · lesson

The sun's path

💡 The sun comes up in the east. It goes down in the west.

In the morning the sun is low in the east.

At lunch it is high in the sky.

At night it goes down in the west. The next day it comes up in the east again.

🧠 How to think about it

Look at the sun at three times. Morning, it is low. Lunch, it is high. Evening, low on the other side.

🏡 Try it at home

Put a toy by a sunny window. Mark its shadow at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. How did it move?

💡 The moon moves across the sky. Its shape looks different each night.

The moon comes up and goes down like the sun.

Its shape looks a bit different each night. Some nights it is round. Some nights it is thin.

You can see the moon in the day too, on some days.

🧠 How to think about it

I look at the moon each night for a week. I draw it. My drawings change shape.

🏡 Try it at home

Look for the moon each night this week. Draw its shape. Did you see it in the day too?

💡 We see stars at night. In the day, the bright sun hides them.

On a clear night, we can see lots of stars.

In the day, the stars are still there. The sun is so bright we can't see them.

Clouds can hide the stars at night.

🧠 How to think about it

A flashlight is hard to see at noon. It is easy to see at night. Stars are like that.

🏡 Try it at home

On a clear night, go out with a grown-up. Count the stars you can see. Try again on a cloudy night.

💡 Summer has the most daylight, and winter has the least.

In summer, it stays light late. You can play after dinner.

In winter, it gets dark early. It may be dark at dinner.

🧠 How to think about it

Is it light at dinner? In summer, yes. In winter, no. So summer has more daylight.

🏡 Try it at home

Look outside at dinner time today. Is it light or dark? Try again in a month. Did it change?