Week Idea

1 Engage: Light and sound

Sounds in the dark story
- Brainstorm (IWB) things that Luke heard
- Brainstorm (IWB) things that produce light that could have helped him see
Ask questions to think about how we hear and see
- Students draw image of how we see and how we hear (glue onto card to display) Diagnostic assessment
2 Explore: Sound
Create table on IWB: Sounds we heard: Inside our classroom/around our school
- Children to close eyes for 30 sec and put their hand up when they hear are noise. Record on chart. Ask questions
Explain that we are going on a walk around the school to listen for more sounds. Students to predict what they might hear in different
places around the school
- Take students for a walk around school
- Come back and record. Ask questions
Children to choose one sound listed to draw and print the words describing the sound (make sure all sound represented)
- Model
Once finished placed pictures in middle of circle and ask for suggestions on how the sounds might be grouped
3 Explore: Light
Get student to turn off lights and ask questions
Explain that we will go for a walk around school to look for places that a very light and very dark
- Students predict first and why
- Take students for walk around school. At each location disuses why there is a lot of light or why it is very dark.
Introduce ‘light and dark’ sheet
- Think, pair, share to discuss ideas first
- Complete sheet
Invite students to bring in things that produce light and/or sound for next lesson. Send home email/letter.
Set up light/sound collection table.
4 Explore: Vibrations
Discuss how light can travel through some objects and not others
 - Brainstorm with table on IWB
Ask students if they think sound can travel through solid objects
Explain that we are going to explore how sound travels
- Model how to bend arm so that you can touch your elbow with other hand and point your index finger in the air. Get students to
copy and then tap on their elbow with finger from other hand. Ask questions
- Repeat with finger on fleshy outside of ear. Ask questions
- Allow students to repeat between two steps. Ask questions
In partners make ‘snaggly doos’
- Circulate asking questions
- Get children to share observations with the class
Discuss any new objects on light and sound table
5 Explain: Sound
Discuss objects on ‘light and sound’ collection table. How can we sort them? (Beginning or end?)
Ask students to think back to the story about Luke. How did Luke know his phone was in the box?
Introduce box with mobile phone inside. Ring the phone and ask students to hold the box and describe what they feel.
- Brainstorm on IWB
Invite students to hum with their hand placed gently on neck
- Repeat with talking ‘hello, hello’ and singing a simple song
- Ask students what they can feel happening. What happens when they stop talking/singing?
- Introduce the term vibrate
Give one balloon to each pair of students
- Students to take turn holding onto inflated balloon while the partner talks onto it
- Discuss what was happening when partner spoke onto balloon. What happened when the partner stopped talking?
Give each group bowl, cling wrap and rice
- Students to tap side of bowl and observe the rice.
- Discuss what happens
Discuss what they now know about vibrations
- Explain with diagram that sound goes to ears wia vibrations (not the other way around) (see pg. 42)
Complete sentences (Today I learnt …, I know this because …, I am wondering about…)
6 Explain: Light
 Remind students of ‘sounds in the dark’ story and what Luke used to see in the dark room.
- What other things could Luke have used?
- Is it possible to see in a dark room? What about shiny things?
Show student pre-made peek box
- Children to make peek box in partners
- Once made come to mat and swap peek-boxes
Peek box viewing
- Children to make sure flap is closed and look into peep box. What can they see? Why? What can we do so we can see?
- Students to open top flap and look through again. Get students to describe what they can see. What can they see now the flap is
open? Where is the light coming from that is coming through the gap?
- Ask students if there would be any difference if they used a torch? Children to experiment with torch.
Ask students what they now know about light and why
- Explain with diagram that light goes to eyes (not the other way around) (see page 42)
Complete sentences (Today I learnt …, I know this because …, I am wondering about…)
Discuss any new objects on light and sound table
7 Evaluate: All together
Ask questions about light and sound
Explain that we are going to role-play how sound vibration travels through the air (pg. 34)
- Model first with a couple of students
- Repeat with whole class
- Ask questions
Explain that to show how light travels we use arrows
- Have five students demonstrate how light travels from the source to the eye
Children to work in groups of 6 with the EA while rest play Summative assessment
- Children to complete diagram demonstrating how light and sound travel
- When finished children to come to teacher to describe how light and sound travel and compare the effects of different types of
light and sound
8 Elaborate: Two is better than one
Discuss the questions “Why do we have two eyes instead of one?”
Explain we are going to do an experiment. What is a fair experiment?
 - Testing eyes experiment
- Explain experiment and students to think, pair, share to predict what will happen
- After experiment discuss results with questions
Physical sciences: Light and sound are produced by a range of sources and can be sensed

A B C D E
The student demonstrates The student demonstrates The student demonstrates The student demonstrates The student demonstrates
excellent achievement of what high achievement of what satisfactory achievement of what limited achievement of what very low achievement of what
is expected for this year level. is expected for this year level. is expected for this year level. is expected for this year level. is expected for this year level.

Physical sciences Describes in detail and
compares the effect of
different types of light and
sound produced by objects
on our senses.
Describes and compares Describes the effect of light Identifies objects which Does not meet the
the effect of different types and sound produced by produce light and sound. requirements of a D grade.
of light and sound produced objects on our senses.
by objects on our senses.