Presenters:

Tanya French

Daniel Holmes

Next Generation Science Standard:

1-PS4-2: Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that objects can be seen only when illuminated.

For reference: From A Framework for K-12 Science Education:

PS4-B: By the end of grade 2: Students should know that objects can be seen only when light is available to illuminate them. Very hot objects give off light (e.g. a fire, the sun).

Lesson Title: “I See the Light!”

An Illumination and Light Lesson for First Grade.

Lesson Overview and Student Objectives:

Students will be able to:

Materials Needed:

  • One flashlight per group
  • Small figures or toys, one per group
  • One shadow box per group
  • Student data sheets

Phase One: Engage the Learner

Students will begin the lesson by observing pictured scenes. They will be asked to observe each scene and think about where the light is coming from.

Class, look at these pictures. In each scene you will see somewhere that light is coming from. I want you to look at each scene and think about where the light is and where it is coming from. Does each scene have the same kinds of light?

Additional questions to guide your students in a discussion:

  • What is illuminated?
  • What is causing the light or illumination?
  • Would you be able to see the objects without the light? Why or why not?
  • What hot objects in the picture give off light?
  • How many sources of light can they find?

Below are a few screen shots thatshow the images students will be viewing.

Next the students will be asked to look around the room.

Now boys and girls, take a look around our very own classroom. Is it light in here or dark? Where do you think the light that is ILLUMINATING our room is coming from?

  • What are the sources of light in their classroom?
  • Where is the light coming from? Do they have lights on the ceilings?
  • Perhaps there is a lamp in the room? Does your classroom have windows?

The purpose of the Engage discussion is to get your students to begin thinking about light and illumination. They should be wondering about where the light comes from . Once students have identified the sources of light in the images and in the classroom, move on to the Explore activity.

Phase Two: Explore the Concept

Students will be given little explanation at this point. It will be their job to explore the properties of light and determine why objects can be seen when light is available to illuminate them. Using flashlights, students will observe what happens when they shine the light onto an object in the dark room, enclosed in a shoe box to block out the light. They will explore what happens when the source of illumination is used to bring light into the box and they will compare what they can see with and without the flashlight beaming into the box. They will make observations and record their findings on a data sheet. They need to answer the question of what happens when the light is present in the box and what happens when the light is not present within the box. Can they see the object? Why do they think this is? Their observations and answers need to be recorded on the data sheet.

Activity: Can you See Me?

Procedure:

  1. Group students into small groups or pairs.
  2. Provide each group with a shadow box (with a figurine inside), a flashlight, and a data sheet for each member of the group
  3. Black out windows, exit signs, and any other major source of light in the room using black paper or curtains to create as dark of a room as possible.
  4. Ask students to look into the shadow box (on the flap marked with a picture of an eye) without the flashlight and record what they see on their student data sheets.
  5. Ask students to turn on their flashlights and aim the beam through the flap marked with a picture of a flashlight. Tell them to allow their partners to look through the eye flap and to record what they see.
  6. Instruct students to switch roles between viewer and flashlight holder until all members of the group have been able to record their observations on their student data sheet.
  7. Students must complete the data sheet with their findings.

Once all students have completed the activity and filled out their data sheets it is time to move to the Explain section.

Phase Three: Explain the Concept and Define the Terms

It is not time to teach the concepts the students began exploring.

Students will use their observations from their data sheets to explain their findings and draw conclusions. We will discuss as a class what they observed and what it means! (The figures cannot be seen unless there is light that is illuminating the figure!)

Class, today we have explored some properties of light, or things about light and the way that light behaves. What did you notice while doing our experiment? When could you see the little figures, or little toys that were in the shadow box? When was it hard to see them? Why do you think you could only see the toys when the light from the flashlight was shining in the box? (Guide the discussion). Yes! That is becausewhen light is present, people can see objects.There are many sources of light, but the initial energy for all light sources comes from the sun.Light travels away from its source in straight lines through space as waves of energy. The waves we can detect with our eyes are called visible light.

Other Important concepts and terms to discuss and teach:

  • What is light? Light is visible energy, or energy that you can see.
  • What is energy? Energy is the ability to do work.
  • What is illumination? When light makes an object easily seen by our eyes!
  • What is a light source? Anything that gives off (sun, moon, fire, lightening bugs) or creates light energy (flashlight, lamp).

Why is light important? Yes! Light is important because without it we would not be able to see the objects in our everyday world. We use lamps and lights at night so that we can see where we are going in our house or on the road. Light is needed to illuminate objects and without it, we can’t see those things! Could we see the toys in the box without the flashlight on? That’s right; we couldn’t see the toys without the light! Very good boys and girls!

Phase Four: Elaborate on the Concept

To elaborate on the concepts that they have learned about light and illumination, the students will complete a simple at home exploration for homework. They have explored light sources in the classroom and now they will be asked to go home and explore the sources in their own homes.

The assignment asks students to go into a room that they think can become completely dark. The students (and their parents if they want) will shut the lights off and look around. If the students can see the things that are in the room, that means that at least some light is making its way inside of the room. It is their job to find where that light is coming from. (A nightlight, the hallway or bathroom light, a glow in the dark toy etc.).

If the students want to go deeper they can try to find a completely dark room where they cannot see anything or they can do their best to block the light from the original room until it is completely dark. Students can also look outside when the night has fallen to try to identify sources of light outside (porch lights, stars and moon, car headlights, street lights.) The students will complete the homework sheet and be asked to consider what would happen if the sources of light they identified no longer were there. See the attached Homework Exploration sheet for further details.

Phase Five: Evaluate students' Understanding of the Concept

The Student Data Sheet and Homework Exploration sheet will serve as a formal evaluation for student learning.

In addition to these graded assignments, students will act out what they learned in class over the last few days. Some students will become the character of the flashlights, some would be assigned the role of a toy, and some would be the shoebox. Students must creatively create a scenario they can act out in order to explain what we have learned about light. Students can act out the flashlight being turned off (the actor playing the toy will not be visible) and when the flashlight turns on, the toy comes into the scene and can be seen by the rest of the class because it is illuminated! The class should do it multiple times so everyone gets a chance to role play in the different parts. Simple props or signs can be used to add to the theatrical element of the role-play! As a class we would talk about when the toy can be seen. Then we would make a “hole” in the box and re-ask the question. Hopefully they answer yes this time.

References:

Engage activity and image copyright purchased from TeachersPayTeachers.com for use in educational classroom

URLS and Additional Resources:

Name:______

Light and Illumination: Homework Exploration

It is your job to find light sources in your home!

  1. Go into a room that they think can become completely dark.
  2. Shut the lights off and look around.
  3. Can you see the room around you?

Do you see any light sources? Where do you think the light is coming from? Draw what you see below!

Pick your favorite room in your house. Draw and label the light sources in your favorite room.

Name:______

Student Data Sheet

Write down your observations! Can you see the toy?

Flashlight On
Flashlight Off