1st grade · Science · Unit 1 of 12
Light & Sound
Bright, dark, loud and quiet
What your child practices
Sources of light and sound, loud and quiet, high and low sounds, shadows, and how light passes through glass but not walls.
Alabama Course of Study content standard: 1.1; 1.2; 1.3 · sound from vibrations, needing light to see, and how materials block or let light through
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- The sun, a flashlight and a candle make their own light.
- We need light to see colors.
- Light passes through clear glass but not through a wall.
Example: Does a spoon make its own light? A spoon can shine, but only when light hits it. It does not make light. Answer: no
Light & Sound in Alabama
In the Alabama Course of Study, this is unit 1 of 12 in 1st grade Science, before Light and Sound.
Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
Where does daylight come from?
- ☀️the sun
- ☁️the clouds
- 🌙the moon
☀️ the sun
Hint: The sun is a giant ball of light. It lights up our day.
Question 2
Is the sound loud or quiet? Tap an item, then tap its basket.
Sort into: 📢 loud · 🤫 quiet
- 🪶feather falling
- 🥁drum
- 🚒fire truck siren
- ⌚ticking watch
- ⏰alarm clock
- ❄️snow falling
📢 loud: drum, fire truck siren, alarm clock · 🤫 quiet: feather falling, ticking watch, snow falling
Hint: Loud sounds are big and strong. Quiet sounds are soft, and you have to listen closely.
Question 3
What do we need to see colors?
🌈- 💡light
- 🌬️wind
- 🔊sound
💡 light
Hint: In a totally dark room you can't see any colors. We need light to see.
Question 4
Does it make its own light? Tap an item, then tap its basket.
Sort into: ✨ makes light · ⬛ does not make light
- 🪨rock
- 💡light bulb
- 🥄spoon
- 🕯️candle
- 🧸teddy bear
- 🔦flashlight
✨ makes light: light bulb, candle, flashlight · ⬛ does not make light: rock, spoon, teddy bear
Hint: Light sources glow on their own. The moon and mirrors only bounce light back.
Question 5
Move your hand closer to a lamp. What happens to its shadow?
💡- 🔵it turns blue
- ⬇️it gets smaller
- ⬆️it gets bigger
⬆️ it gets bigger
Hint: The closer your hand is to the light, the more light it blocks, so the shadow grows.
Question 6
Which animal makes a low, deep sound?
- 🐄cow
- 🐦little bird
- 🐭mouse
🐄 cow
Hint: A cow's moo is low and deep. Little animals often make high sounds.