Tracking the Sun – A Summer Solstice Activity

Published on: 21 Jun 2025

To celebrate the summer solstice, students of the Preparatory Stage at M. C. Kejriwal Vidyapeeth took part in an exciting Sun Tracker Activity from their homes on 21 June 2025. This hands-on learning experience aimed to help young learners grasp the concept that on this special day, the sun reaches its highest point in the sky, making it the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

In the lead-up to the activity, teachers introduced the idea in class using globes, balls, and other visual aids to demonstrate the Earth’s tilt and orbit. Students discovered how the Earth's tilt towards the sun on June 21 causes summer in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

At home, the students crafted simple sundials using paper plates, pencils, and optional compasses. By placing a pencil upright at the centre of the plate, they observed and marked the pencil’s shadow every hour throughout the day. They were fascinated to notice that the shadow was shortest at noon, clearly illustrating the sun's highest position in the sky.

Students recorded their observations and reflections in their Social Studies notebooks. This thoughtful combination of classroom explanation and home-based exploration deepened their understanding of the Earth's movement and how it affects seasonal changes.