Don’t close this browser tab!

This Mystery is being downloaded to your device so you can play it at home without an Internet connection.

Keep this tab open once it's downloaded in order to play the Mystery.

If you experience problems, please talk to your teacher.

0% Cancel
How can the Sun help you if you're lost?

How can the Sun help you if you're lost?

Lesson narration:
Scroll for prep
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Three sun direction choices

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

Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Step
01/09
Get these supplies.
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Step
02/09
Cut on the thick black lines. When you’re done, you’ll have two pieces.
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Step
03/09
Poke the paper fastener through the top hole then turn the paper
upside down like this.
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Step
04/09
Turn over the paper with the sun on it. Slide the hole over the paper
fastener.
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Step
05/09
Spread the prongs and flatten them like this.
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Step
06/09
Trace the word east (where the sun rises). Then trace the word west
(where the sun sets).
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Step
07/09
Practice making the sun rise over my friend’s house (the white one)
and set behind my house (the gray one).
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
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?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Step
09/09
Here’s what I figured out.
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

forest


1 of 8

a place with lots of trees
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

Sun


2 of 8

the large ball of light in the sky during the day
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen

sunrise


3 of 8

when the Sun appears in the morning
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen

sunset


4 of 8

when the Sun disappears in the evening
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

east


5 of 8

one of four main directions; if you are facing north, it is to the right
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

west


6 of 8

one of four main directions; if you are facing north, it is to the left
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

pattern


7 of 8

something that happens again and again and again in a way that can be predicted
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

predict


8 of 8

to guess what will happen based on things you know
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen

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
Lesson narration:

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

Exploration

12 mins

Extend this lesson