Chasing Noon: The Shadow Clock Investigation

Watch an ordinary shadow become a record of time. Photograph one safe, stationary object at three moments, compare what changes, and use the evidence to predict what its shadow will do next. 🌟 COMPETITION OVERVIEW This Earth science and photography challenge asks you to investigate how a shadow changes as the position of a light source changes. Outdoor observations can reveal the effects of Earth’s rotation, while a clearly labelled indoor lamp model can demonstrate the same light-and-shadow relationship when sunlight is unavailable. 🎯 THE MISSION • Choose one stationary, safe object that casts a clear shadow. • Photograph the object and its shadow three times from approximately the same camera position. • Leave at least 45 minutes between outdoor observations. • Combine the three photographs into one annotated sequence. • Show what changed and make one evidence-based prediction about what the shadow would do next. 🔍 WHAT TO INCLUDE • Three original photographs of the same object and shadow. • The time or sequence number for every photograph. • At least two labelled changes, such as direction, relative length, or position. • One prediction supported by the photographic pattern. • A brief grade-appropriate explanation of why the shadow changed. • Early learners may use arrows, short labels, comparisons, and words dictated to an adult. • Older students should compare direction and relative length and connect an outdoor result to Earth’s rotation. • If sunlight is unavailable, use a stationary indoor object and movable household lamp, and clearly label the entry as a model. 📋 RULES • Keep the object stationary throughout the investigation. • Keep the camera viewpoint and observation location as consistent as reasonably possible. • For an indoor model, show three clearly different lamp positions and keep the object stationary. • Never look directly at the Sun. • Do not climb, enter roads, trespass, or move into unsafe locations. • Do not include faces, addresses, school names, licence plates, or private information. • Use only student-created photographs, annotations, and wording. • Combine the complete investigation into exactly one uploaded file. 📤 SUBMISSION • Upload exactly one JPG, PNG, or PDF file. • The single file must contain all three photographs, annotations, and the prediction. • No paid software or specialized equipment is required. 🏆 JUDGING CRITERIA • Quality and consistency of the observation evidence: 30% • Accuracy of the pattern analysis and prediction: 30% • Effectiveness of the annotations and comparison: 20% • Scientific understanding appropriate to the student’s grade: 10% • Safety, clarity, and rule-following: 10% 🎁 WHY PARTICIPATE? A shadow is more than a dark shape—it is evidence you can observe, compare, and interpret. This challenge builds scientific thinking, visual communication, photography, and pattern-recognition skills using an ordinary object and an everyday source of light.