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1st grade · Science · Unit 6 of 8

Signals Far Away

Use light and sound to send messages.

What your child practices

Practices how light and sound can carry a message over a distance, from flashlights and whistles to drums and signal flags, and how to design a simple signal.

New York State Learning Standards learning standard: 1-PS4-4; K-2-ETS1-1 · designing devices that use light or sound to communicate over a distance

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Light and sound can send messages far away.
  2. A traffic light is a light signal. A horn is a sound signal.
  3. A code is a set signal, like 3 flashes for hello.

Example: Is a bike bell a light signal or a sound signal? You hear a bell ring. Hearing means sound. Answer: a sound signal

Signals Far Away in New York

In the New York State Learning Standards, this is unit 6 of 8 in 1st grade Science, after Ideas from Nature and before Plant Parts at Work.

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.

Source: New York State Education Department (NYSED)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Flash a light 3 times means hello. This is a…

    • drawing
    • code
    • song
    • story

  2. Question 2

    Which tool sends a light signal?

    • A bell
    • A flashlight
    • A drum
    • A whistle

  3. Question 3

    Which is a light signal?

    • A traffic light
    • A whistle
    • A school bell
    • A drum

  4. Question 4

    Why does a smoke alarm beep?

    • To call a dog
    • To warn of smoke
    • To play a game
    • To wake the sun

  5. Question 5

    A green traffic light tells drivers to…

    • go
    • stop
    • turn around
    • sleep

  6. Question 6

    You and a friend make a code. One beep means…

    • always stop
    • nothing ever
    • whatever you agree on
    • always lunch

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