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How can the Sun help you if you're lost?
Spinning Sky Unit | Lesson 3 of 7
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How can the Sun help you if you're lost?

Spinning Sky Unit | Lesson 3 of 7
Lesson narration:
English Spanish
Scroll for prep
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Three sun direction choices

If`you`were`Doug,
what`would`you`do
to`get`home?

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Step
01/09
Get these supplies.
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Step
02/09
Cut on the thick black lines. When you’re done, you’ll have two pieces.
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Step
03/09
Poke the paper fastener through the top hole then turn the paper
upside down like this.
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04/09
Turn over the paper with the sun on it. Slide the hole over the paper
fastener.
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05/09
Spread the prongs and flatten them like this.
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06/09
Trace the word east (where the sun rises). Then trace the word west
(where the sun sets).
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Step
07/09
Practice making the sun rise over my friend’s house (the white one)
and set behind my house (the gray one).
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Step
08/09
Turn and Talk: How can the sun help me get back to my house in the
afternoon? Should I walk towards the sun or away from it?
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Step
09/09
Here’s what I figured out.
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forest


1 of 8

a place with lots of trees
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Sun


2 of 8

the large ball of light in the sky during the day
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sunrise


3 of 8

when the Sun appears in the morning
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sunset


4 of 8

when the Sun disappears in the evening
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east


5 of 8

one of four main directions; if you are facing north, it is to the right
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west


6 of 8

one of four main directions; if you are facing north, it is to the left
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pattern


7 of 8

something that happens again and again and again in a way that can be predicted
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predict


8 of 8

to guess what will happen based on things you know
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Image & Video Credits

Mystery Science respects the intellectual property rights of the owners of visual assets. We make every effort to use images and videos under appropriate licenses from the owner or by reaching out to the owner to get explicit permission. If you are the owner of a visual and believe we are using it without permission, please contact us—we will reply promptly and make things right.

Exploration
children lost in the city by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Josef Sowa
forest by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Yegor Larin
boy with backpack in the forest by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: upslim
eggs and toast by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: citr
sun peering through the forest by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Piotr Krzeslak
cottage in the forest by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Maciej Czekajewski
kid playing with toys by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Tomsickova Tatyana
man chopping vegetables by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: Rommel Canlas
meadow pine trees by Ken Kistler
fallen tree by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: TairA
man walking through forest by Danny Jun Fitness
girl lost in forest by Image used under license from Shutterstock.com: iraua
Credits
Lesson narration:
English Spanish

Grade 1

Sun, Moon, & Stars

Sun & Daily Patterns

1-ESS1-1

Activity Prep

Print Prep
In this lesson, students develop a model of the sun’s daily path across the sky, then use this model to help someone who’s lost. In the activity, Sun Finder, students create a mobile paper model of the sun and earth to illustrate the position of the sun throughout the day.
Preview activity
Number of students:

I have a Mystery Pack

Sun Finder printout Print 30 copies
Scissors
30 pairs
Three-Hole Punch
1 hole punch
Paper Fasteners
30 fasteners
Prep Instructions

Each student will make their own Sun Finder.

Prepare Sun Finder Templates

Fold the Sun Finder template in half, lengthwise. You can fold 5 at a time, if you like.

Put the folded edge in a 3-hole punch and punch the templates. You can work with multiple copies at a time — depending on what your 3-hole punch will accommodate.

It's okay if the hole in the rectangle with the sun on it doesn't quite match the circle printed on the page.

Exploration

12 mins

Hands-On Activity

20 mins

Grade 1

Sun, Moon, & Stars

Sun & Daily Patterns

1-ESS1-1

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Credits