Switch It On! Light and Dark

About This Resource

A free Grade 1 science worksheet pack on light and dark: natural and artificial light sources, the Sun as our biggest light source, why we need light to see, what darkness is, objects that give light and objects that only reflect it, and staying safe around bright lights. Includes a timed lesson plan, a six-activity worksheet, an editable Word version and answer key.

Overview

Students learn that light comes from light sources, such as the Sun, a lamp, a candle and a flashlight, and that dark is when there is no light. They sort light sources into natural (made by nature) and artificial (made by people), discover in a dark box that we need light to see, and learn that shiny things like a mirror or a spoon do not make light: they bounce it. They read a short story about a power cut and draw their own light source.

Resource Details

Subject: Science
Topic: Light and Dark
Category: Forces & Energy
File Type: PDF
File Size: 270.4 KB
Published: 04 Nov 2026
Downloads: 0

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Grade 1 (ages 6–7) 40 minutes Observing sorting reading explaining drawing

Student Task

Darken the room and switch on a flashlight. Ask: "What helps us see?"
Teach light sources and the dark box test, then do activities 1 and 2 together.
Students complete activities 3 to 6. Answers are in the answer key.

Classroom Use

Dark box: put a toy inside a shoebox with a small peephole. Students look in with the lid on, then with a flashlight shining in.
Light source hunt: students walk around the school and list every light source they see.
Shiny or glowing: give students a mirror, foil, a flashlight and a glow stick and ask which ones make their own light.

Differentiation

Support: use picture cards for the sorting activity and say the words with the class. Challenge: ask students to explain why a cat can't see in total darkness and to find three shiny objects that are not light sources.

Answer Key & Assessment

Activities 1 to 5 check light sources, natural and artificial, and reflecting objects (answer key included). Activity 6 checks whether students can draw and name a light source.

Learning Objectives

Name natural and artificial light sources.
Explain that we need light to see and that dark is the absence of light.
Tell the difference between objects that make light and shiny objects that only reflect it.

Teacher Tips

Many children think the Moon and mirrors make light. Use a flashlight and a mirror to show that the mirror only shines when light hits it, and explain that the Moon shines because it reflects light from the Sun.

What's Included

7-page printable PDF lesson pack: teacher lesson plan with timings, materials and differentiation
Key vocabulary list (6 words with meanings and examples)
Student worksheet (6 activities)
Editable Word version of the worksheet
Complete answer key (also as a separate PDF)