Our Sky

Given: We need to observe and record what we see in the sky at three different times of the day.

Concept: The sky looks different at different times because of the position of the Sun, presence of stars/Moon, and the amount of light.

Completed Table:

| Morning Sky | Afternoon Sky | Night Sky |
|---|---|---|
| Orange colour of the sky | Sky is bright blue | Moon and stars are visible |
| Sun appears on the eastern horizon | Sunlight is strong | Sky is dark |
| Orange Sun | Sun is overhead (at noon) | Stars twinkle and form patterns |
| Birds start chirping and flying | Clouds may be visible | Moon changes its shape on different nights |
| Cool and pleasant temperature | Temperature is high | Cool or cold temperature |

Note: Share your observations with classmates and compare. You may add more points based on your own observations.

When the Sun rises:

(a) How does the sky look?
At sunrise, the sky turns from dark to a beautiful orange, pink, and golden colour. Slowly it becomes bright blue as the Sun rises higher.

(b) What do the birds and animals do?
- Birds start chirping and singing loudly.
- Birds fly out of their nests in search of food.
- Cows and other domestic animals wake up and become active.
- Roosters crow to signal the start of the day.

(c) What changes do we find at home?
- People wake up and start their daily activities.
- Lights in the house are switched off as sunlight comes in.
- Morning chores like cooking, cleaning, and getting ready for school begin.
- Plants and flowers open up towards the sunlight.

When the Sun sets:

(a) How does the sky look?
At sunset, the sky turns orange, red, and purple. Slowly it becomes dark and the stars and Moon become visible.

(b) What do the birds and animals do?
- Birds return to their nests.
- Owls and bats come out as they are active at night.
- Cows and other animals are brought back to their shelters.
- Crickets and frogs start making sounds.

(c) What changes do we find at home?
- Lights are switched on inside the house.
- People return home from work and school.
- Evening prayers or rituals are performed in many families.
- Children come indoors and families gather together.

Given: A torch (source of light) and a stick (object) are used in a dark room.

Concept: The size of a shadow depends on the distance between the object and the source of light.

Answer:
- If the stick is moved closer to the torch (source of light), the shadow becomes bigger (larger).
- If the stick is moved farther away from the torch, the shadow becomes smaller.

Conclusion: The closer the object is to the source of light, the bigger the shadow formed.

Given: The direction of the torch is changed while the stick remains in the same position.

Concept: The direction of a shadow is always opposite to the direction of the source of light.

Answer:
- If the direction of the torch is changed, the direction of the shadow also changes.
- The shadow always falls on the side opposite to the source of light.

Real-life connection: This is why shadows in the morning fall towards the West (because the Sun is in the East) and in the evening they fall towards the East (because the Sun is in the West).

Given: The Sun appears to move from East to West during the day.

Concept: The direction of a shadow is always opposite to the direction of the source of light (the Sun).

Answer:
- In the morning, the Sun is in the East, so shadows fall towards the West.
- In the evening, the Sun is in the West, so shadows fall towards the East.
- At noon, the Sun is overhead, so shadows are very short and fall directly below the object.

Conclusion: Since the Sun's position in the sky changes throughout the day, the direction of shadows also changes accordingly.

Given: The Sun appears to move from East to overhead till noon and then gradually moves towards the West in the afternoon.

Concept: The position of the Sun determines the direction and length of shadows.

Description of drawings (since actual drawing is required in the book):

- Morning (Sun in the East):
Draw the Sun low on the right side (East). The shadow of the person/object should be long and pointing towards the left (West).

- Noon (Sun overhead):
Draw the Sun directly above (overhead). The shadow of the person/object should be very short and directly below them.

- Evening (Sun in the West):
Draw the Sun low on the left side (West). The shadow of the person/object should be long and pointing towards the right (East).

Key rule to remember: Shadow is always formed on the side opposite to the Sun. Shadow length is longest in the morning and evening, and shortest at noon.

Given: After sunset, thousands of twinkling stars are visible in the night sky and they form various patterns.

Concept: Groups of stars that form recognisable patterns are called constellations. A well-known Indian constellation is Saptarshi (Seven Sages), which looks like a ladle or a big dipper.

Activity Answer:
- Go outside on a clear night and look at the sky carefully.
- Try to connect groups of stars with imaginary lines, just like joining dots.
- Draw the pattern you see in the box provided.

Example pattern — Saptarshi (Big Dipper):
Seven bright stars arranged in the shape of a ladle or a question mark. You can draw seven dots and connect them with lines to show this pattern.

Note: Your pattern may be different from your friends' patterns. That is perfectly fine — the goal is to enjoy watching the sky and notice the beauty of stars.

Given: The Moon appears to change its shape on different nights.

Concept: The Moon does not produce its own light. It reflects sunlight. As the Moon moves around the Earth, we see different portions of its lit side — these are called the phases of the Moon.

Shapes of the Moon observed on different nights:

| Night | Shape of Moon | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 1st night | Thin crescent (like letter 'C') | Crescent Moon |
| 7th–8th night | Half circle | Half Moon |
| 15th night | Full circle | Poornima (Full Moon) |
| After Poornima | Gradually decreasing | Waning Moon |
| 30th night | Not visible | Amavasya (New Moon) |

Is there a pattern?
Yes! The Moon's shape changes in a regular pattern over approximately 30 days (one month). It goes from a thin crescent → half moon → full moon → half moon → thin crescent → no moon, and then the cycle repeats.

Are there days when the Moon is not visible?
Yes. On the night of Amavasya (New Moon), the Moon is not visible in the sky. This happens once every month.