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Grade 1. In 10 lessons, students investigate how light interacts with a variety of materials and explore ways that humans and other animals use such interactions to help them survive. In the science challenge, students explain how materials they have investigated can be used to let people know what to do in an emergency situation. Module includes a teacher guide, 16 Smithsonian Science Stories student readers, and enough materials for 32 students to use 1 time.

Grade 1. Module Highlights: In 10 lessons, students investigate how light interacts with a variety of materials and explore ways that humans and other animals use such interactions to help them survive. Students first explore and explain that a light source is needed for humans to see objects. They next investigate and explain the different ways light behaves when it interacts with different materials. Students go on to define a safety problem related to student visibility at a dark bus stop, then solve the problem using biomimicry. In the science challenge, students explain how materials they have investigated can be used to let people know what to do in an emergency situation.

This module includes a teacher guide, 16 Smithsonian Science Stories student readers, and enough materials for 32 students to use 1 time.

Student Readers Available HERE

Alignment to the Next Generation Science Standards*
Performance Expectations

• 1-PS4-2: Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that objects in darkness can be seen only when illuminated.
• 1-PS4-3: Plan and conduct investigations to determine the effect of placing objects made with different materials in the path of a beam of light.
• 1-LS1-1: Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their needs.
• K-2-ETS1-1: Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.

• Objects can be seen if light is available to illuminate them or if they give off their own light.
• Some materials allow light to pass through them, others allow only some light through, and others block all the light and create a dark shadow on any surface beyond them, where the light cannot reach. Mirrors can be used to redirect a light beam.

• All organisms have external parts. Different animals use their body parts in different ways to see, hear, grasp objects, protect themselves, move from place to place, and seek, find, and take in food, water, and air. Plants also have different parts (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits) that help them survive and grow.

• Animals have body parts that capture and convey different kinds of information needed for growth and survival. Animals respond to these inputs with behaviors that help them survive. Plants also respond to some external inputs.

• A situation that people want to change or create can be approached as a problem to be solved through engineering.
• Asking questions, making observations, and gathering information are helpful in thinking about problems.
• Before beginning to design a solution, it is important to clearly understand the problem.

• Because there is always more than one possible solution to a problem, it is useful to compare and test designs.

Science and Engineering Practices
Focal:

• Defining problems
• Constructing explanations

• Cause and effect

Phenomena and Problems Storyline
Lesson Summaries
Lesson 1: Treasure Hunt
Students make and compare observations of gemstones in well-lit and poorly lit conditions. They ask questions and investigate if turning on a light makes the gemstones easier to see. Students investigate further using a simulation of a completely dark location.
Lesson 2: Shining Through
Students predict what will happen when a flashlight beam shines on different objects. They plan and conduct an investigation and explain that a light beam shines through clear, colorless plastic; is blocked by black card stock; and partially shines through parchment paper.
Lesson 3: The Shadow Effect
Students investigate the effects of shining a light beam on opaque objects.
Lesson 4: Bouncing Around
Students investigate the effects of shining a light beam on foil and a mirror. They compile their observations from the previous lessons and explain what happens when light shines on transparent, translucent, opaque, and reflective objects.
Lesson 5: Waiting in the Dark
Students design a biomimicry-inspired solution that warns drivers about hard-to-see students.
Students perform research to help them define the problem.
Lesson 6: Animal Ideas
Students work collaboratively to define a specific bus stop problem to solve. They read about animals using body parts to cast shadows, reflect light, and self-illuminate to get solution ideas.
Lesson 7: Signal and Response
Students research human-designed lighthouses that are used to send safety-related messages. They begin to design their solution to the bus stop problem.
Lesson 8: Slow Down—School Students
Student pairs peer review classmates' initial solution ideas and then complete and share their solution designs.
Science Challenge
Lesson 9: Emergency Escape, Part 1
Students explain how materials they investigated can send a signal that solves the problem.
Students define a problem. They research possible solutions to the problem. They plan an investigation of two new materials.
Lesson 10: Emergency Escape, Part 2
Students observe the two new materials. Students explain how at least one material they investigated in the module can be used to send a signal to students in a dark library so that students respond in a desired manner.

*Next Generation Science Standards® is a registered trademark of WestEd. Neither WestEd nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards were involved in the production of this product, and do not endorse it.