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Backyard Explorer 3 to 5 / Week 02 / Tuesday
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Week 02 · Map Your Habitat

Tuesday

Mapping sun and shade
// Food, water, cover and space, drawn from above
⏱ about 15 min

Tuesday: Mapping Sun and Shade

Raven lays a big sheet of paper on the workshop table. "A map of the yard, from above."

Rocket draws the fence, the tree and the back step. "Done!"

"Not yet," says Raven. "Where is the sun right now? Where is the shade?"

Nova projects a cyan sun over the map and slides it slowly across. "It moves," she says. "Check twice."

A bird's-eye view

A habitat map shows a place from above, like a bird would see it.

You do not draw the side of the tree. You draw a circle where the tree is.

Start with the big fixed things: the fence, the building, the path, the tree.

Then add symbols for what living things need. Every symbol goes in the map key.

A map key is a small box that tells what each symbol means.

What you are mappingA simple symbolGoes in the key?
the edge of your spacea thick lineYes
a treea circle with a dotYes
a busha small cloud shapeYes
sunny in the morninga small sunYes
shady in the afternoongray stripesYes
MAP BASICS
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
A habitat map shows a place from which view?
What does a map key do?
What do you draw first?

Sun moves, shade moves

The sun is in a different part of the sky morning and afternoon.

That means shade moves too. A spot that is shady at breakfast may be sunny at dinner.

Some living things need lots of sun. Others do better in shade.

So a good habitat map checks sun and shade at two different times.

Mark morning sun with one symbol. Mark afternoon sun with another.

The places that get both are the sunniest. The places that get neither are the shadiest.

MAKE THE FIRST LAYER OF YOUR MAP
  • ?Check again in the afternoon. Mark it with a different symbol.
  • ?Draw the edge of your space with a thick line.
  • ?Add every symbol to the map key.
  • ?Add the big fixed things: building, fence, path, tree.
  • ?Check where the sun falls in the morning. Mark it.
WHY THIS EXERCISEFixed things anchor the map. Sun and shade are added over them.
A map drawn from above is called a bird's-____ view.
The box that explains the symbols is the map ____.
How many times should you check sun and shade?
StatementTrue or false?
Shade stays in the same place all day.?
A map key tells what the symbols mean.?
You should draw the side view of the tree.?
Some living things do better in shade than in sun.?
WHY THIS EXERCISEThe sun moves, so shade moves. Maps use the view from above with a key.
Try it
Start your real map today on a big sheet of paper.
Draw the edge and the fixed things. Then go outside and mark where the sun is.
Later today, check again. Mark the afternoon sun with a different symbol.
Safety first
Stay with your grown-up while you check the yard.
Never look straight at the sun. Look at the ground to see where the light falls.
Look with your eyes. Never touch a wild animal, insect, nest or unknown plant.
Draw your map key. Show a symbol for tree, bush, morning sun and afternoon shade.

Layer one is down! Tomorrow you add water and cover to your map.

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