Sun and shade

Start with something students can look at or think about: a photo, a short video, a jar on the windowsill, or a question like "what do you already know about sun and shade?" Then let them work through it with your modeling first (do the first item together on the board), then try the rest with a partner, keeping a word bank or anchor chart in view so the vocabulary stays available. When you review, ask students how they knew, and let them point to the part of the diagram or reading that told them. These sun and shade worksheets work well as a lead in before an investigation, as a way to capture what students noticed afterward, or as review before an assessment.

These sun and shade worksheets for Kindergarten give students a clear, visual way to work through one of the big ideas in energy. Students label diagrams, sort and classify examples, read short explanations, and answer questions that ask them to say why, not just what. Each page keeps the science vocabulary front and center so students leave with the words they need to talk about sun and shade accurately. Working through sun and shade on paper gives Kindergarten students something concrete to hold onto before, during, or after the hands on part of a lesson.

Yes, both. We made it for Kindergarten energy, and the page works the same whether it lands on a kitchen table or a center rotation. At home, most families go through it together and talk the answers out loud, and that talking is where most of the learning happens with sun and shade. In class it runs well as independent work while you pull a small group. Print one copy or thirty, whichever the day needs.

Sun and shade worksheets teach kindergartners that the sun is a source of light and heat, and that shade occurs when an object blocks the sun. Children explore how shade affects temperature, practice observing shadows at different times of day, and learn why shade is helpful on a hot day.

Sun and shade concepts are introduced in kindergarten as part of weather, seasons, or energy units, typically in spring or summer when outdoor exploration is practical. The topic connects to broader Earth science learning about the sun's role in weather and seasons.

On a sunny day, step outside and compare how it feels standing in the sun versus in the shade. Trace shadows at different times of day to see how they change. These simple outdoor experiments make sun and shade science tangible and exciting for kindergartners.

1 printable worksheet, all free to preview. Downloads are included with a ClassWeekly free trial, and every page prints on standard 8.5 x 11 paper.

These are written for Kindergarten students, roughly ages 3-6. Many teachers also use them a grade up for review or a grade down as an extension, so use the preview to judge the fit for a particular child.

Yes. Each one shows the NGSS code it covers on its own page, so you can check the alignment yourself rather than taking our word for it.

Yes. Nothing here assumes a classroom of 25, so they work the same one-to-one at the kitchen table as they do in a Kindergarten classroom, a literacy centre, or a tutoring session.