This sun cut outs activity helps PreK-1st grade children sort picture cards into things that make light and things that do not, then color and cut out paper suns. An answer key is included.
A things that give light activity for kindergarten to 2nd grade: a board game with 12 picture cards about light sources, a practice page and an answer key included.
Shine a little light on learning
First graders learn that we can only see things when there is light, and that some objects give off their own light, like the sun, a lamp, a candle or a firefly. They test what happens when light hits different materials: it passes through clear plastic, partly through wax paper, and gets blocked by cardboard, which makes a shadow. They also notice that mirrors bounce light in a new direction. The click moment is the dark-box test: with no light inside, you see nothing at all!
Light is perfect for hands-on science. Kids can see, sort and test it right at their desks.
Show pictures of the sun, a flashlight, the moon, a lamp, a pencil and a firefly. Kids sort them into "gives light" and "doesn't give light" and explain their thinking. The moon always sparks a great debate, since it only reflects the sun's light.
Why it works: going from real objects to pictures to symbols is a core recommendation of the U.S. Department of Education's elementary math guide.
Try it withThings That Give Light ActivityActivitiesOpen it →Shine a flashlight on a toy and have kids draw where the shadow lands. Move the light and draw again. Seeing the shadow flip sides helps them understand that light travels in straight lines and gets blocked.
Why it works: pairing a picture with each word gives kids two ways to remember it, a well-tested principle of how people learn (Mayer, 2009).
Try it withSun Cut OutsActivitiesOpen it →Give each table a flashlight plus clear plastic, wax paper, tissue and cardboard. Kids predict, test, and sort each material onto a chart. Saying "transparent, translucent, opaque" out loud as they test makes the big words stick.
Why it works: playful practice with a clear goal keeps kids practicing longer, and simple learning games have been shown to build real skills (Ramani and Siegler, 2008).
Turn off the lights and turn on the giggles.
Teacher favorites right now: Sun Cut Outs and Things That Give Light Activity.
They learn that we need light to see, that some objects give off light, and that materials can let light through or block it. Blocked light makes shadows. Mirrors reflect light in a new direction.
The sun, lamps, flashlights, candles, fire, lightning and fireflies all make their own light. The moon is a fun exception because it only reflects sunlight.
A shadow forms when something blocks light. Shine a flashlight on your hand and move it closer and farther away. Kids see right away that the shadow changes size and shape.
Put a toy in a shoebox, close the lid, and ask kids to peek through a tiny hole. They can't see it. Then open a flap to let light in and the toy appears. It shows that light is what lets us see.
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