Physical Science · Light & Sound
Communicating with Light & Sound
Use flashes, taps, and simple patterns to design a signal that sends information across a distance.

Lesson plan
Communicating with Light & Sound
A step-by-step guide to help you teach this lesson.
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Lesson overview
What students will learn
- Design a simple device that uses light or sound to send an agreed message across a distance.
- Test whether a receiver can correctly interpret the signal, then improve the design using the test result.
Key science ideas
- A flash of light can be a signal.
- A sound can be a signal.
- People need to know what a signal means.
Lesson at a glance
- Grade 1
- 35 min
- ~7 min prep
- 1-PS4-4
- 4 materials
What’s included
- Lesson Plan
- Investigation
- Teacher Slides
- Printable Worksheet
- Teacher Answer Key
- Interactive Activity
- Vocabulary