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 the worksheet on their own or 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.

This worksheet is designed for Kindergarten students (Ages 3-6), aligned to NGSS standard K-PS3-1. It can also be used as review for early students at the next grade level or as an introduction for advanced students.

Yes. This worksheet works for homeschool, classroom, and tutoring settings. Print individual pages for targeted practice, or print the full set as a packet. Works great as a morning warm-up, independent center activity, or fast-finisher task.

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.