Light and Sound Experiments and Activities for Grade 1
Light and sound are spectacular! Lightning, rainbows, shadows, the sun, stars…there are so many natural phenomena when it comes to light. Animal noises, talking, music, and vehicles…these are just a few of the many noises in our daily lives. Light and sound are concepts young learners can grasp because these are things they experience daily. And there are some awesome science activities and science experiments for first grade to teach about sound and light.
What is Sound? What is Light?
Sound is a form of energy that helps us to hear. It’s created when matter vibrates and creates sound waves that travel to our ears. Light is a form of energy that helps us to see. When light bounces off of objects, we can see them.
The EASY way to teach light and sound.
Looking for an all-in-one unit to teach about light and sound to little learners? In just a few clicks you can grab all the pieces you need: lesson plans, vocabulary cards, hands-on activities, printable worksheets, and more!
Light and Sound Videos for Kids
Want to learn about light and sound with kid-friendly videos? Here are a few YouTube videos that could be incorporated into your teachings of sound and light:
SciShow Kids has a great video all about sound
Here’s a simple video done by Kids Academy about sources of light. This gives an overview of natural and artificial sources of light.
Dr. Binocs has two great videos about sound and light. I often find that Dr. Binocs explains things in a slightly higher level than first grade, so some of the information is not necessary for little learners, but they will likely still find these parts of the video fascinating!
Guess the Sound activity
For a quick game that is sure to grab your kids’ attention, try playing a game of Guess the Sound! Just gather together a few YouTube video clips of various sounds (like the ones below), and see if your students can guess the correct answer!
Classroom Hunt: source of light
For a quick no-prep activity have students hunt the classroom for sources of light and sound. Doing this separately (i.e. search for sound, and then search for light) will help students be more focused on their search. If you really want to go on an adventure, walk down the school halls or venture out to the playground to see what students can discover.
Transparent, Translucent, Opaque
These worksheets and activities to teach vocabulary are included in the Light and Sound unit for little learners.
Light acts differently with different objects. So why not have students experiment with various objects to see how the light acts. Conduct an experiment where students discover objects that are transparent, translucent and opaque.
A transparent object lets light pass through, like Saran Wrap or a window. A translucent object lets some light pass through, like a tinted window or paper. An opaque object does not let light pass through at all. For example, a wooden table or a saucepan.
For this experiment (included in the Light and Sound unit), set out flashlights and various objects for students to test. Instruct students to use their flashlights to help them ‘test’ the transparency of each object. Does the beam of light go all the way through the object? Part way? Not at all? Students can record their findings.
shadow art project
After a short group lesson to explain the concept of shadows, have students create shadow art! For this, give each students a pencil, paper and medium sized object. Find a sunny spot or use an artificial light source. Then use the object to cast a shadow on the paper. Trace the shadow on the paper. (taken word for word from your unit)
exploring the science of shadows
This shadow activity is a fun way to experiment with shadows and determine if shadows are always black. By using various translucent materials, students will discover that shadows can come in a variety of colors.
Seeing Sound
Check out this fun experiment that uses water in order to see sound vibrations. Your students will love this demonstration of how sound is created.
Light and sound are all around us! Your first-grade students can experience sound and light every day! Teaching sound and light in first grade can be fun and interactive.
