Published by Julian Publishing. Gideon & Milo storybooks are written by Lester C. Lacey.
Print & Play
Make an autumn shadow drawing with paper, a leaf and a cool LED light: trace the shadow, turn the outline into a picture and tell a one-sentence story. This original reading activity pairs with Gideon, Milo, and the Great Shadow, Lester C. Lacey’s story about a boy and his Yorkshire terrier.
At a glance: To make a shadow drawing, place a leaf or other safe object beside paper and shine a cool LED light toward it. Trace the shadow, turn the outline into a picture, and give your picture a one-sentence story.
Gather your materials
Use paper, a pencil or crayons, a leaf or another safe object, and a cool LED light handled by an adult. Choose a clear work surface. Use daylight by a window if you prefer; avoid candles and hot lamps.
Trace, turn, tell
Trace: place the object beside the paper and move the light until you see a shadow. Trace its outline. Turn: rotate the paper and decide what the shape might become. Tell: give your new picture a one-sentence story.
Try a second version
Move the light a little farther away or turn the object. Notice what changes. A long leaf shape might become a mountain in one drawing and a boat in another. These are your own imagined pictures, not illustrations from the book.
Bring the picture back to reading
After The Great Shadow, ask how looking again can change what we notice. Keep the activity short enough to suit your group. Find another reading idea in the resource collection.
Topics: Seasonal Activities · Courage & Curiosity
A small story starter
Try “The little boat reached a forest made of leaves.” Then change the boat into something your own outline suggests. This sentence and your drawing are activity ideas, not a scene or quotation from the book.
What if the shadow is hard to see?
Keep the object still and let an adult move the light closer to the work surface or change its angle. Try a larger leaf or a different part of the table. Do not shine the light into anyone’s eyes.
Can we do this without a lamp?
Yes. Try daylight by a window. If you cannot get a clear shadow, trace the leaf’s outline directly and continue with the picture and story steps.