Light & Sound
Sounds are made when things wiggle back and forth. We see things when light shines on them.
Tap a drum and it shakes very fast. That shaking, called vibration, makes sound. Light comes from the sun, lamps and flashlights. When something blocks light, it makes a shadow!
Words to know
Tap a picture to hear it.
Did you know?
- Put your fingers on your throat and hum. Feel it buzz? That’s vibration!
- In a totally dark room, you can’t see anything at all. We need light to see.
- Glass lets light through, but wood blocks it.
- Sound moves through the air, through water and even through walls.
Try it! Hands-on activities
Simple things to do together with stuff you already have.
Printables
Play
Talk about it
Questions to ask while you read, play or walk.
- What is the loudest sound you heard today? The quietest?
- How can you make your shadow bigger?
- What gives us light at night?
For teachers
What this topic supports:
- NGSS 1-PS4-1: vibrating materials make sound, and sound can make materials vibrate
- NGSS 1-PS4-2: objects can be seen only when lit
- NGSS 1-PS4-3: materials let light through or block it