Investigating the Shape of the Earth: A 4th Grade Science Experiment

You will need the following supplies for this experiment:

1. 1 Ball
2. 1 Frisbee
3. 1 Lamp with the shade removed
4. 1 Wall
5. Piece of Paper
6. Pencil

Follow the directions to complete this experiment:

1. Take the lampshade off of your lamp so just the light bulb is revealed. Hold it close to the wall.
2. Place your ball in between the wall and the light so that it casts a shadow on the wall.
3. Record what shape you saw on the wall from the shadow of the ball. Draw it next to your description.
4. Hold your ball in a few other positions and again record the shape of the shadow on the wall.
5. Place your Frisbee flat in between the light and the wall so that you can see it's shadow.
6. Record what shape you see on the wall from the shadow of the Frisbee. Draw a picture of it next to the description.
7. Turn your Frisbee sideways and record the shape of the shadow on your paper.

Astronomer's could see a reflection of the Earth's shape on the moon during an eclipse. It was this shape that led them to believe that the Earth was indeed a solid sphere like your ball and not just a circle like your Frisbee.

A famous explorer named Ferdinand Magellan actually sailed all the way around the Earth. He completed his journey from the very point that he started from. This trip was confirmation that the astronomers were right. The Earth was a solid sphere.