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.

Given: Many festivals in India are connected to the Sun and the Moon.

Answer (sample — students should write about their own festivals):

Festivals related to the Sun:
- Makar Sankranti — celebrated when the Sun moves into a new position; people fly kites and eat til-gur (sesame and jaggery).
- Pongal — a harvest festival in Tamil Nadu that thanks the Sun for good crops.
- Chhath Puja — a festival in Bihar and UP where people offer prayers to the Sun.

Festivals related to the Moon:
- Eid — begins when the new crescent Moon is sighted.
- Karva Chauth — women fast and break their fast after seeing the Moon.
- Raksha Bandhan and Diwali — celebrated on specific Moon phases.
- Poornima — many communities celebrate the full Moon day with prayers.

In my language: *(Students should write the name of the festival in their own regional language, e.g., in Hindi — Poornima, Amavasya; in Tamil — Pongal, Karthigai Deepam, etc.)*

Note: Every region of India has its own festivals linked to the Sun and Moon. Discuss with your family and write the ones you celebrate.

Given: We need to compare day and night.

Concept: Day occurs when the Sun is visible and night occurs after sunset.

Two differences between Day and Night:

| Day | Night |
|---|---|
| The Sun is visible in the sky. | The Sun is not visible; Moon and stars appear. |
| The sky is bright and blue. | The sky is dark. |

Additional differences (for reference):
- During the day, temperature is higher; at night, it is cooler.
- During the day, most animals and humans are active; at night, most rest (though some animals like owls are active at night).

Given: We need to compare the morning sky and the evening sky.

Two differences between Morning Sky and Evening Sky:

| Morning Sky | Evening Sky |
|---|---|
| The Sun rises in the East; sky turns orange/golden. | The Sun sets in the West; sky turns red/orange/purple. |
| Shadows fall towards the West (long shadows). | Shadows fall towards the East (long shadows). |

Additional differences:
- In the morning, birds start chirping and flying out; in the evening, birds return to their nests.
- The morning sky gradually gets brighter; the evening sky gradually gets darker.

Given: We need to compare human activities during the day and at night.

Two differences between our activities during the Day and at Night:

| During the Day | During the Night |
|---|---|
| We go to school, work, and play outdoors. | We rest and sleep at home. |
| We use natural sunlight for our work. | We use electric lights or lamps. |

Additional differences:
- During the day, we eat breakfast and lunch; at night, we have dinner.
- During the day, we are active and energetic; at night, we feel sleepy and tired.

Given: We need to compare animal behaviour during the day and at night.

Concept: Animals that are active during the day are called diurnal animals. Animals that are active at night are called nocturnal animals.

Two differences between animal activities during the Day and at Night:

| During the Day | During the Night |
|---|---|
| Birds fly out of their nests and search for food. | Birds return to their nests and sleep. |
| Butterflies and bees collect nectar from flowers. | Owls, bats, and moths come out and are active. |

Additional differences:
- Cows, goats, and dogs are active during the day; they rest at night.
- Frogs and crickets make sounds at night but are quiet during the day.

Given: The teacher says the Sun appears to move from East to West during the day. Meera is curious and wants to ask questions.

Concept: Asking good questions is an important part of learning science. A curious student thinks deeply about what they hear.

At least two questions Meera can ask:

1. "Does the Sun actually move, or does it only appear to move? If it only appears to move, then what is really moving?"
*(This is a great question because it is actually the Earth that rotates, making the Sun appear to move.)*

2. "Why does the Sun always rise in the East and set in the West? Does this happen everywhere on Earth?"

3. *(Bonus question)* "Why is the Sun overhead at noon and not in the morning or evening?"

Note to students: Always be curious like Meera! Asking questions helps us understand the world better.

Given:
- A person stands at the same spot in the morning and in the afternoon.
- The shadow points in different directions at the two times.

Concept: The direction and length of a shadow depend on the position of the Sun in the sky.

Why does the shadow point in different directions?

The shadow always falls on the side opposite to the Sun.
- In the morning, the Sun is in the East, so the shadow falls towards the West.
- In the afternoon, the Sun has moved towards the West, so the shadow falls towards the East.

Since the Sun's position changes during the day (it appears to move from East to West), the direction of the shadow also changes.

Would the length of the shadow be the same at both times?

No, the length of the shadow would not be the same.
- In the morning, the Sun is low in the sky, so the shadow is long.
- In the afternoon (especially near noon), the Sun is higher in the sky, so the shadow is shorter.
- The shadow is shortest when the Sun is directly overhead at noon.

Conclusion: Both the direction and the length of the shadow change because the position of the Sun in the sky changes throughout the day.

Given: We need to write a short poem about the beauty of the sky.

Concept: A poem uses creative words and feelings to describe something beautiful.

Sample Poem:

*The sky above is wide and blue,*
*With fluffy clouds of every hue,*
*The golden Sun shines bright and high,*
*A glowing ball in the morning sky.*

*When evening comes with colours bright,*
*Orange and red — a beautiful sight,*
*Then stars appear one by one,*
*Twinkling softly when day is done.*

*The Moon glows soft in silver light,*
*A gentle friend through the dark night,*
*Oh, what a wonder, what a view,*
*The sky above — forever new!*

Note: Students are encouraged to write their own poem using their imagination and personal observations of the sky.

Given: An incomplete riddle about something in the sky.

Riddle (Completed):

*Only one colour, but not one size,*
*Appears with light, looks very nice,*
*I follow you wherever you go,*
*Longer in morning, shorter at noon — don't you know!*
*What am I?*

Answer: A Shadow

Justification:
- A shadow is always dark/black (only one colour).
- But it is not one size — it changes size depending on the position of the Sun (long in morning/evening, short at noon).
- It appears with light — without a source of light, there is no shadow.
- It looks very nice — shadows are beautiful and are even used in shadow puppetry!

Final Answer: Shadow ($\text{Chhaya}$ in Hindi)