Physical Science · Light & Sound
What Happens When Light Hits Materials?
Keep one light setup fixed, test four materials, and use the observed light patches as evidence.
Lesson plan
What Happens When Light Hits Materials?
A step-by-step guide to help you teach this lesson.
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Lesson overview
What students will learn
- Plan and carry out a simple test that changes the material in a light beam while keeping the light source and screen setup the same.
- Use observations to compare materials that let lots of light through, let some light through, block light, or redirect light.
Key science ideas
- Clear plastic can make a bright forward patch.
- Wax paper can make a dim, spread-out forward patch.
- Cardboard can block the direct beam and make a shadow.
Lesson at a glance
- Grade 1
- 35 min
- ~10 min prep
- 1-PS4-3
- 7 materials
What’s included
- Lesson Plan
- Investigation
- Teacher Slides
- Printable Worksheet
- Teacher Answer Key
- Interactive Activity
- Vocabulary