1st grade Science: how to help at home
What your child learns in 1st grade science in the Oregon State Standards, and simple things to try at home.
Focus areas this year
- Light and sound
- How plants and animals survive and grow
- Patterns of the sun, moon and stars
Easy ways to practice science at home
- Go on a nature walk and name what you see: leaves, bugs, clouds, puddles.
- Plant a bean seed and check it together each day.
- Ask “What do you notice?” before you explain anything.
- Talk about the weather each morning and what to wear for it.
What each unit covers
Light & Sound
Sources of light and sound, loud and quiet, high and low sounds, shadows, and how light passes through glass but not walls.
Sky & Seasons
Day and night, the sun, moon and stars (the moon reflects sunlight), and the order of the seasons.
Animal Survival
Body features (thick fur, webbed feet, shells, camouflage) and behaviors (hibernating, migrating, storing food) that help animals survive.
Parents & Babies
Practices how animal parents feed, protect and teach their young, and how young plants and animals are like, but not exactly like, their parents.
Ideas from Nature
Practices how plants and animals use their outside parts to survive, and how people copy those parts to design solutions, like burrs and hook-and-loop straps.
Signals Far Away
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.
Plant Parts at Work
Practices what each outside part of a plant does to help it survive and grow, from roots that drink water to thorns that keep animals away.
What the report card levels look like at home
- Beginning
- Just getting started with this idea. Short, regular practice with lots of support helps most.
- Approaching
- Understands parts of it and is building confidence. Keep practicing the tricky parts.
- Meeting
- Has it! Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
- Exceeding
- Applies it confidently, even in new or harder situations. Try challenge mode and real-life problems.
Your child’s teacher decides the level on the report card. Read the Oregon report card guide.
Common questions
Go on a nature walk and name what you see: leaves, bugs, clouds, puddles. Plant a bean seed and check it together each day. Keep sessions short, about 10 to 15 minutes, and stop on a success.
The Oregon State Standards 1st grade science units include Light & Sound, Sky & Seasons, Animal Survival, Parents & Babies, Ideas from Nature, Signals Far Away.
Free printable 1st grade science practice sheet
Questions from every unit, with an answer key.