First Grade Science | Unit 3 | Light & Shadows

Give first graders a reason to say, “Let’s test it again.”

What helps us see an object inside a dark box? Why does light pass through one material but not another? Can a flashlight carry a message across the classroom?

Turn those questions into four weeks of purposeful science with 12 guided lessons and five reusable centers. This 64-page unit moves children from noticing a phenomenon to comparing results, explaining their evidence, and improving a simple light-signal device.

Children investigate first, then learn the vocabulary that helps them describe what happened. They work with real materials, talk with partners, and show their understanding through observations, drawings, and explanations.

Five Centers With a Purpose

• Mystery Viewing Box: Compare the same object with the light off and on.
• Light-Test Station: Test clear plastic, wax paper, and opaque card, then sort using observed evidence.
• Shadow Builders: Make shadows and compare what happens when only the object’s position changes.
• Claim Detectives: Use six claim cards and six evidence cards to check ideas and repair inaccurate explanations.
• Signal Across the Room: Build a light-message device, agree on a code, test messages, change one feature, and retest.

Support That Makes Teaching Easier

The package includes a four-week roadmap, materials and safety guidance, daily teacher models, setup visuals, partner routines, vocabulary support, and an original Fox and Owl science story. Lesson guides keep the question, materials, investigation, and explanation together so you can see what to prepare and what to listen for.

Starting and final picture checks, an observation rubric, answer guides, and suggested next teaching moves help you assess the science behind each child’s response. Multilingual learner supports and extensions help you adjust participation while keeping the thinking meaningful.

Print What You Need

Project the color anchors and reuse center cards and mats. Black-and-white response pages provide generous drawing space and primary writing lines. Shared records and oral explanations offer additional ways to capture learning.