Making shade

After spending time discussing weather, the children focused on the sun.  What does it do for us?  How can we use it?  

Then a question was posed:  Can you make a structure to block out the sun from the earth?  They went to work planning out basic structures using everyday materials.  Then they tested it out!  

Reflection: Did it work?  What needed to be changed?  What was easy/difficult about making this?  What does this remind you of?  How could people use these ideas in real life?