Observe surfaces in sunlight and shade.

SECTION 1

People Have Always Watched the Sun

People have looked at the Sun for a very long time. They noticed it makes things warm!

Long ago, people found shady trees to cool down. They learned that shade feels different from sunshine.

Long Ago

People Sit Under Trees

People rested under shady trees to cool off on hot days.

Then

Building Houses With Shade

People built roofs and porches to make shady spots near their homes.

Now

Scientists Study Sunlight

Today scientists study how the Sun warms things up. We can study it too!

Here is our big question: Why does the ground in sunshine feel warmer than the ground in shade?

SECTION 2

Sunlight and Shade: What We Know

Let's learn some big ideas about sunlight and shade.

Sunlight Is Energy

The Sun sends out light. That light carries energy. That means power that can warm things up.

Sunlight Warms Surfaces

When sunlight hits something, that thing gets warmer. A surface is the top or outside of something, like the ground.

Shade Blocks Sunlight

Shade is a spot where something blocks the sunlight. That means less light reaches the ground there.

We Can Feel the Difference

You can touch and feel that sunny spots are warmer. Shady spots feel cooler. You are a scientist when you notice that!

☀️ KEY TAKEAWAY

Think about a warm blanket. Sunlight is like a warm blanket for the ground. When something blocks the blanket, that spot stays cooler. That is what shade does!

SECTION 3

See the Sunlight and the Shade

Look at this picture. It shows a sunny day outside. Can you find the sunny spot and the shady spot?

The Sun sends light to the ground. The tree blocks the light and makes a shady spot. The sunny spot feels warm. The shady spot feels cool.

See the dashed lines? They show sunlight going to the ground. The tree blocks sunlight from reaching the ground under it. That is how shade works!

SECTION 4

How Does the Sun Warm Things Up?

The Sun sends out light. When that light hits a surface, the surface gets warmer. That means the Sun's light carries energy to things it touches.

When something blocks the sunlight, it makes shade. Things in the shade do not get as warm. They stay cooler.

👣 Anchoring Phenomenon

Have you ever walked barefoot outside? The sidewalk in the sun feels hot! But the sidewalk under a big tree feels much cooler. That is because the tree's shade blocks the Sun's light from warming that spot.

Sunlight hits a surface → the surface warms up.
Something blocks the light → shade forms.
Surface in shade → stays cooler.

You can test this yourself. Touch the ground in the sun. Then touch the ground in the shade. You are doing what a scientist does. You are observing! That means using your senses to learn.

SECTION 5

Different Surfaces in Sun and Shade

Different things feel different in the sun. Some get very warm. Others do not get as warm. Let's look at a few.

Each surface is warmer in the sunlight and cooler in the shade. You can feel this with your hands!

Did you notice? Every surface is warmer in the sun. This is a pattern. That means it happens again and again. Scientists look for patterns!

SECTION 6

Let's Be Scientists Together!

Let's pretend we go outside to explore. We want to find out: Is the playground slide warmer in the sun or in the shade?

Playground Slide Investigation

Step 1 — Ask a QuestionWe ask: Will the slide in sunshine feel warmer than the slide in shade?

Step 2 — Make a PredictionWe think the sunny slide will feel warmer. That is our guess!

Step 3 — ObserveWe go outside. We touch the slide in the sun. Then we touch the slide in the shade. We use our hands to feel.

Step 4 — What Did We Find?The slide in the sun felt warm. The slide in the shade felt cool.

The sunny slide was warmer! Our prediction was right.

Step 5 — Explain WhySunlight carries energy to the slide. The energy warms the slide up. Shade blocks the sunlight so the shady slide stays cool.

🔬 You Are a Scientist!

When you ask a question, make a guess, and use your senses to find out, you are doing science. Great job!

SECTION 7

Sun vs. Shade: Side by Side

Let's put sunlight and shade next to each other. Then we can see how they are different!

Sunlight and Shade Comparison

What We Notice	☀️ Sunlight	🌳 Shade
How it feels	Warm	Cool
Why?	Sunlight hits the surface	Something blocks the sunlight
How bright?	Bright	Darker
Good for...	Drying puddles, warming up	Cooling down, resting

🌤️ KEY TAKEAWAY

Think about wearing a hat on a sunny day. Your face is in the hat's shade so it feels cooler. Your arms are in the sunlight so they feel warmer. Sunlight warms surfaces it touches. Shade keeps surfaces cooler because it blocks the sunlight.

SECTION 8

More to Explore About the Sun

You now know that sunlight warms things. There is even more to learn as you grow!

Your Science Journey

What You Know Now	What You Will Learn Later
Sunlight warms surfaces.	The Sun is a star that gives off heat and light.
Shade blocks sunlight.	We can design shelters to make shade and keep cool.
Surfaces feel warmer or cooler.	We can use tools like thermometers to measure temperature.

You are just getting started! Keep asking questions about the world around you. That is what great scientists do.

SECTION 9

Practice: Test What You Know!

A class goes to a park. There is a big bench in the sunshine and a big bench under a picnic shelter. Let's think about what they notice!

PROBLEM 1 — CONCEPTUAL

A child sits on the bench in the sunshine. How does the bench feel? A) Cold B) Warm C) Wet

PROBLEM 2 — BASIC OBSERVATION

How does the bench under the picnic shelter feel? A) Warm B) Cool C) Hot

PROBLEM 3 — INTERMEDIATE

Why is the bench in the shade cooler than the bench in the sun? A) The shade makes cold air. B) The shelter blocks the sunlight. C) The bench is made of ice.

PROBLEM 4 — APPLIED

The children want to eat lunch but the sunny bench is too hot to sit on. What could they do to make their eating spot cooler? Pick the best idea. A) Open a big umbrella over the bench. B) Paint the bench blue. C) Sing a song to the bench.

PROBLEM 5 — THINK AND SHARE

Think about your school playground. Where is a sunny spot? Where is a shady spot? Tell a friend: Which spot would you pick on a really hot day, and why?

SUMMARY

What We Learned

The Sun sends out light that carries energy. When sunlight hits a surface, that surface gets warmer. Shade happens when something blocks the sunlight. Surfaces in the shade stay cooler.

We can observe this pattern by touching surfaces in the sun and shade. This is the same pattern everywhere: sidewalks, sand, grass, and more. When you notice and compare, you are thinking like a scientist!