In the 'Patterns of the Sun' word sort activity aligned with 1-ESS1-1, students learn about the sun's predictable movement through the sky from morning to evening. By categorizing words like 'sunrise,' 'east,' and 'shadow gets longer' into morning, afternoon, and evening, students explore how the sun changes position and creates different shadow patterns throughout the day. This activity helps students make predictions and observe daily sun patterns in a hands-on way.