KS1 light and dark – Medium-term plan

What's included?

Medium-term plan plus accompanying slideshows, worksheet and template

Key Stage

KS1

Age

Years 1-2

Subjects

Written by science expert Deborah Herridge, this six-week KS1 light and dark medium-term plan focuses on helping children experience light and dark and explore simple ideas about light sources, reflectors and how we need light to see.

Resources included in this download

Full medium-term plan
Accompanying slideshows, worksheet and template

KS1 light and dark learning objectives

Know that darkness is the absence of light
Compare light and dark places
Identify different sources of light
Experience darkness
Know we need light to see
Identify some light reflectors
Predict and test whether an object will be a good reflector of light
Make observations and simple comparisons of light reflectors
Use knowledge of light reflectors to make a reflective badge
Make observations and simple comparisons of materials
Learn that some materials let light through

Starter activity

Before you start the lesson make your room as dark as possible – cover windows with thick black paper, draw the blinds and make sure all gaps are covered so no light seeps through. Turn off any lights.

Be aware that at this age, some children may feel nervous about being in darkened places. If this is the case, allow these children to sit close to you.

Ask children as they arrive to describe what the classroom is like. Is it the same as usual? How is it different? Explain that we will be learning about light and dark.

Elicit initial understanding from children on what light and dark mean to them. Accept all responses and use this initial questioning phase as formative assessment of children’s understanding.

Deborah Herridge is science subject leader for Initial Teacher Education at the University of Northumbria and co-author of Pearson’s ‘Science Bug’ programme. Follow her on Twitter at @deborahscience.