Focus: In this unit, students investigate with sound and light to see how sound and light can be used to communicate with an audience in a theater. Students will determine the relationship between vibrations and sound. Students will explore different light sources, mirrors, and shadows. They will further explore waves and their applications in technologies for information transfer in Grade 4 Unit 1 Energy Transfer and Transformation and Grade 4 Unit 2 Investigating Waves.
Students explore concepts that include the following:
- Sound can make matter vibrate, and vibrating matter can make us hear a sound.
- 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.
- People use a variety of devices to communicate (send and receive information) over long distances.
Students understand that they hear sound, but they may not know there is a relationship between sound and vibrations. Sound can cause matter to vibrate, and vibrating matter can cause sound. Students have recognized that certain objects give off light while other objects can only be seen when illuminated by objects that are light sources. Through experiences, students will learn that materials interact with light in different ways—some allow light to pass through, others block some or all light, and still others reflect clear images.
Students will apply what they learn to use light and sound to solve a communication problem. Engineers and engineering designers use knowledge of the properties of matter as they use materials in design solutions and make things that are useful to people. This series of lessons incorporates learning goals that support the principles and practices of engineering design, such as defining problems, testing materials, and evaluating possible solutions.
Number of Lessons: 4, each lesson is divided into 4-5 lesson segments.
Instruction Time: We recommend that you plan for about 30-45 minutes for each lesson segment. We further recommend that you spend a minimum of twenty-five days and a maximum of thirty-seven days teaching the Exploring Light and Sound unit so that you have time to teach the other units in the Grade 1 CKSci series.
Please note that a Pacing Guide is provided within the Teacher Guide so teachers can map out customized instructional days for this unit.
Additional Search Terms:
sound • hear • vibrate • vibration • cause and effect • light • dark • see • shadow • surface • mirror • light beam • reflect • code • communicate • message • signal • spotlight • nonfiction • informational text
