Light and Sound Unit for 1st Grade - How Sound Travels, Light Sources & More

This engaging light and sound unit allows you to explore the concepts through 14 different hands-on investigations. Students will learn all about what sound is, sound vibrations, how sound travels, and how pitch works. They will discover why we need light, different types of light sources, how light travels through objects, how light is reflected/refracted and how shadows are formed! 

This complete light and sound unit is aligned to 1st grade NGSS standards as well as a variety of grade level ELA standards. Students will explore these concepts through hands-on Investigations, original books, explicit vocabulary, STEM challenges and more!

This light and sound 1st grade unit is filled with incredible resources for students and for the teacher! There are 14 scripted lesson plans with a teacher guide, hands on experiments and investigations, student investigation journals, vocabulary cards, projectable books, vocabulary cards, and light and sound investigation journal covers. 

This light and sound 1st grade unit includes 14 detailed & scripted lesson plans…

• Sounds All Around - scripted lesson plan, Investigation + students recording sheet (students go on a sound walk),  sound walk student recording sheet, teacher anchor chart pieces to record findings
• Vibrations - scripted lesson plan, Investigation + student recording sheet (students make a kazoo and explore vibrations, record findings)
• Sound Waves Travel - scripted lesson plan, Investigation + student recording sheet (students tie string around a metal spoon, twist string around fingers and listen to sound waves that travels through the string.)
• See the Vibrations - scripted lesson plan, Investigation + student recording sheet (students  tape a ruler to their desk and then pull down the end of the rule and let go to observe sound waves)
• Pitch Perfect Sounds - scripted lesson plan, Investigation + student recording sheet (students wrap different sized rubber bands around cups to observe and hear different pitches.)
• Sources of Light - scripted lesson plan, Where do we find light anchor class anchor chart pieces for teacher, 'a light source is'  recording sheet for students
• Is it Natural or Artificial - scripted lesson plan, Investigation + student recording sheet (Students will use included PPT file to identify examples or natural and artificial light in a class game where they shine their flashlight on the correct answer)
• Light of Sight - scripted lesson plan, Investigation + student recording sheet (Students are given Mystery Boxes, students need to determine how they can see what is inside the box if the only opening to the box is the size of a hole punch. They need to add a light source with their flashlights.)
• Transparent, Translucent, Opaque - scripted lesson plan, Investigation + student recording sheet (Students will place different materials over a word and determine which is transparent, translucent, and opaque.)  Learning About Light PPT e-book
• Shadows - scripted lesson plan, Investigation + student recording sheet  (students will use a flashlight, cup, and paper to explore shadows and how they're created.)
• Light Reflects - scripted lesson plan, Investigation + student recording sheet  (students will use flashlights and mirrors to observe how light reflects.) Lightbulb vocabulary words for students to illuminate with their flashlights and mirrors included for this lesson.
• Refraction Action - scripted lesson plan, Investigation + student recording sheet (students will observe refraction by placing an arrow picture behind a transparent cup and seeing what happens to the arrow when they pour the water in the cup.)
• Communication - scripted lesson plan, Communicating With Light and Sounds PPT e-book. Investigation + student recording sheet (students create string and paper cup phones with a partner then test them out)
• Engineering Communication - STEM Challenge where students must create a device that can communicate Yes or No to their partners.

You will love this light and sound 1st grade unit because it…

✅ Meets NGSS standards as well as tying in grade level ELA standards throughout:

• Light: 1-PS4-2, 1-PS4-3, 1-PS4-4
• Sound: 1-PS4-1, 1-PS4-4

✅Saves time since your planning will be done for you, with detailed lesson plans and a teacher planning guide included.

✅Hands on investigations help students explore science not just through a text book, but letting kids get hands on, which leads to high engagement!

✅3 Projectable e-readers provide scaffolded non-fiction access to text for the whole class (Learning About Light, Sounds All Around, Communicating With Light and Sound - PowerPoint file includes projectable books and lesson extensions) 

What are teachers saying…

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Absolutely love your NGSS units! This was very engaging and loved that there were so many different investigations that students could complete in order to demonstrate their understanding. I highly recommend for any teacher looking for a high interest and engaging science unit. Thanks so much!” - RhoLynda H.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “With very little guidance from our district, I knew I had to seek out other resources asap.  This unit has been my saving grace.  I appreciate how hands on and thorough the lessons are!  Really appreciate all of the hard work you put into this product!  Thank you so much!” - Lauren M.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “ALL of these lessons are super engaging, even virtually! I did this entire unit with my first graders over Zoom, and they enjoyed experimenting like scientists from home. I will use it again in the classroom and I’m sure it will be even better! This unit also aligns perfectly with 1st grade NGSS.” - Alexa S.

This unit is part of my: NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE BUNDLE

© Stephanie Stewart - Falling Into First