About this worksheet
Sunlight can warm land and water, an effect children can feel on a playground surface or observe in a simple tray test. The scientific idea is not that the Sun touches the ground directly, but that light reaches a material and its temperature rises. This worksheet presents paired picture rows for equal samples placed in sunlight and shade. Children choose the warmer sample, identify which result is evidence of warming, and compare the size of the change. Support rows show a large, obvious difference. Challenge rows place the results closer together so careful counting matters. The values are warmth marks from the same classroom test, not a claim that sand, soil, water, and rocks always reach one exact temperature. Emphasize fair comparison: the material and time are held the same while light exposure changes. Ask your child to point to the sun row and shade row before answering. That habit connects the conclusion to visible evidence rather than to the memorized phrase ‘the Sun is hot.’
What your child will learn
- Compare sun and shade test results
- Use more picture marks as evidence of warming
- Apply the pattern to several surface materials
- Recognise light exposure as the changed condition
Worked example
Two equal sand trays start together. The sun tray has six warmth marks and the shade tray has two, so sunlight warmed the sand more.
Common mistake
Choosing the sunny tray without checking whether the visual results actually support it.
Helpful hint
Compare the sun and shade rows for the same material.