1st Grade for ME - Unit 4 - Communicating With Sound and Light

Sound and Light Banner

In Unit 4, children build and harness scientific knowledge about how sound and light work. They ask questions about what they sense in their environment and about communication.

Weeks 1-3 - Learning focuses on sound
Weeks 4-6 - Children explore how each phenomenon is produced, can change or be changed, and is used by people and other animals.

Children draw on their knowledge of animal structures from Unit 2 and their own experiences in the world to ground these otherwise hard-to-reach understandings.

For those interested in printing lesson plans for each week of Unit 4- Communicating With Sound and Light, you can do so by selecting the week below:

Family Links

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8

Week 1: At-a-Glance

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Vocabulary and Language	Introduce Weekly Words: senses, hear, motion Vocab Cards	Introduce Weekly Words: listen, identify, pluck	Phrases of Place Slides	Phrases of Place	Carousel Brainstorm
Text Talk	“Water Music” (audio) The Sound of Silence (Read 1)	“Rain Spell” (audio) The Sound of Silence (Read 2)	Max Found Two Sticks	Sounds All Around (Read 1) Diagrams	Sounds All Around (Read 1)
Stations	Shared Reading: “Tapping Tate” \| Slides Independent and Partner Reading Listening and Speaking: Talk, Draw, Talk \| Images \| Listen and Respond (Max Found Two Sticks) Science and Literacy: What is sound? Vocabulary: Draw for Meaning Word Work: Change and Draw \| Fluent Reader’s Challenge \| Short to Long Vowel Memory \| Trick Word Memory \| Name it, Write it, Mark it
Science and Engineering	Lesson 1: Exploring Sound \| Journal Prompt Lesson 2: Exploring Sound 2
Studios	Studios Studio Prompts Sound Category Cards Writing Recording Sounds
Writing Basics	Deconstruction: Review Procedure Purpose and Stages Mentor Texts How Many Am I Hiding?	Deconstruction and Joint Construction in Pairs: Steps Steps Paper Child Copy Procedure Observation	Deconstruction: Verbs and Adverbs; Joint Construction: Steps	Deconstruction: Adjectives; Joint Construction: Materials, Title, and Goal Slides	Individual Construction: Planning; Joint Construction: Verbs

Week 2: At-a-Glance

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Vocabulary and Language	Introduce Weekly Words: soft, property, detect Vocab Cards	Introduce Weekly Words: volume, vibrate, strum	Shades of Meaning	Shades of Meaning	Carousel Brainstorm
Text Talk	Amazing Sound (Read 1) Text Excerpt Response Sheet	Amazing Sound (Read 1)	“Way Down in the Music” Text Talk Text Response	Comparing Marimba Texts How Marimbas Make Sound	Amazing Sound (Read 2) and audio clips Slides
Stations	Shared Reading: “Noise Day” \| Slides Independent and Partner Reading Listening and Speaking: Talk, Draw, Talk \| Images \| Prompt \| Listen and Respond (“Way Down in the Music”) Science Literacy: How can we change sounds? Vocabulary: Draw for Meaning Word Work: Sentences \| Look, Cover, Write, Check \| Fluent Reader’s Challenge \| Name It, Write It, Mark It
Science and Engineering	Lesson 1: Changing Volume \| Prompt Lesson 2: Changing Pitch
Studios	Studios Studio Prompts Children continue making, collecting, and representing sounds. They write book reviews of new texts. They continue investigating changing sounds with the tuning fork, from Science and Engineering lessons.
Writing Basics	Individual Construction Procedure Paper	Individual Construction, Deconstruction and Revision	Individual Construction, Deconstruction and Revision	Individual Construction, Deconstruction and Revision	Peer-to-Peer Feedback Procedure Feedback

Week 3: At-a-Glance

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Vocabulary and Language	Introduce Weekly Words: communicate, produce, effect Vocab Cards	Introduce Weekly Words: amplify, key, pitch	Word Relationships Vocabulary Words	Word Relationships	Carousel Brainstorm
Text Talk	The First Music (video) Slides	Amazing Sound (Read 3)	Sounds All Around (Read 2) Excerpts	Sounds All Around (Read 2)	“How Animals Use Sound” Slides
Stations	Shared Reading: “Way Down in the Music” \| Slides Independent and Partner Reading Listening & Speaking: Talk, Draw, Talk \| Images \| Listen & Respond (The First Music) Science Literacy: How does sound travel from the source to the receiver? Vocabulary: Draw for Meaning Word Work: Name It, Write It, Mark It \| Compound Words \| Trick Word Memory \| Fluent Reader’s Challenge
Science and Engineering	Lesson 1: Sound Receivers \| Journal Prompts Lesson 2: Echolocation \| Echolocation Worksheet \| Bar Graph Worksheet
Studios	Studios Studio Prompts Drawing Musicians Math Recording Sheet Children explore and research sounds made and used by musicians as well as animals.
Writing Basics	Peer-to-Peer Feedback	Revising and Publishing	Revising and Publishing	Publishing	Presentation and Celebration

Week 4: At-a-Glance

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Vocabulary and Language	Introduce Weekly Words: beam, shadow, location Vocab Cards	Introduce Weekly Words: source, block, determine	Possessive Nouns Slides	Possessive Nouns	Carousel Brainstorm
Text Talk	Sending Messages with Light and Sound Child Copy	Sending Messages with Light and Sound	All About Light	Oscar and the Moth (Read 1)	Oscar and the Moth (Read 2) Slides Excerpt
Stations	Shared Reading: “Golden Sun” \| Slides Independent and Partner Reading Listening & Speaking: Talk, Draw, Talk \| Images \| Listen & Respond (Sending Messages with Light and Sound, All About Light) Science Literacy: What is light? Vocabulary: Draw for Meaning Word Work: Fluent Reader’s Challenge \| Look, Cover, Write, Check \| Making Multisyllable Words \| Sentences
Science and Engineering	Lesson 1: Light is Energy \| Journal Prompt \| Data Chart Lesson 2: Light’s Interactions with Materials
Studios	Studios Studio Prompts Making Shadow Puppets \| Theatre \| Light Search Math Recording Sheet Children experiment with light and shadow by making and using shadow puppets. They identify and describe qualities of light and tell and act out new stories.
Writing Basics	Pre-Assessment Pre-Assessment Sheet Explanation Rubric Explanation Reflection Observation Tool	Deconstruction: Explanation Purpose Why We Write Cards Mentor Texts	Deconstruction: Explanation Stages Sequencing Cards Images	Individual Construction: Explanation Steps Explanation Steps	Individual Construction: Explanation Steps Explanation Steps

Week 5: At-a-Glance

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Vocabulary and Language	Introduce Weekly Words: radiant, electricity, direction Vocab Cards	Introduce Weekly Words: redirect, reverse, reflection	Describe Objects Slides	Classify and Describe Objects	Carousel Brainstorm
Text Talk	“The Shiny Sculptures of Anish Kapoor” Slides	All About Light Slides	Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie (Read 1) Slides	Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie (Read 2)	Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie (Read 3) Slides Excerpt
Stations	The Mid-Unit Assessment is administered this week. Shared Reading: “Shadow Race” Independent and Partner Reading Listening & Speaking: Talk, Draw, Talk \| Images \| Listen & Respond (Oscar and the Moth) Science Literacy: What is a light beam? Vocabulary: Draw for Meaning Word Work: Fluent Reader’s Challenge \| Trick Word Memory \| Name It, Write It, Mark It \| Make and Spell Compound Words \| Make Multisyllable Words Mid-Unit Assessment: Prompt \| Rubric \| Slides
Science and Engineering	Lesson 1: Light and Shadows \| Journal Prompts Lesson 2: Mirrors and Beams
Studios	Studios Studio Prompts Light and Sound Messages \| Sun and Shadow Cards Children continue investigating light with ongoing activities.
Writing Basics	Individual Construction: Phenomenon Statement Observation Tool	Deconstruction and Revision: Verbs Slides	Deconstruction and Revision: General Nouns Slides \| Images	Planning	Research Slides Steps Sheet

Week 6: At-a-Glance

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Vocabulary and Language	Introduce Weekly Words: warn, reflect, transparent Vocab Cards	Introduce Weekly Words: opaque, translucent, dim (adj., v.)	Prefixes Slides	Prefixes	Carousel Brainstorm
Text Talk	Introducing the Look and Listen! Project Slides Project Planning Sheet	Rosie Revere, Engineer (Read 1)	Rosie Revere, Engineer (Read 2) Slides	“Inventors” Slides	“Lewis Latimer and the Long-Lasting Light Bulb” Slides
Stations	Shared Reading: “The Lighthouse” \| Slides Independent and Partner Reading Listening & Speaking: Talk, Draw, Talk \| Images \| Listen & Respond (Rosie Revere, Engineer) Science Literacy: What can be seen with no light? Vocabulary: Draw for Meaning Word Work: Fluent Reader’s Challenge \| Look, Cover, Write, Check \| Sentences \| Name It, Write It, Mark It
Science and Engineering	Lesson Plan Lesson 1: Making Rainbows Lesson 2: Communicating with Light Journal Prompt \| Flashlight Code
Studios	Studios Studio Prompts Evaluating Our Design Centimeter Paper Math Shape Cards Children refine their plans for designing communication tools using sound and light for use by children in K1, gather materials, and begin building.
Writing Basics	Research Slides	Individual Construction: Explanation Steps	Individual Construction, Deconstruction, and Revision	Individual Construction, Deconstruction, and Revision	Individual Construction, Deconstruction, and Revision

Week 7: At-a-Glance

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Vocabulary and Language	Introduce Weekly Words: engineer, invent, improve Vocab Cards	Introduce Weekly Words: innovate, creativity, persevere	Root Words Slides	Root Words	Carousel Brainstorm
Text Talk	Marvelous Mattie: How Margaret E. Knight Became an Inventor (Read 1)	Marvelous Mattie (Read 2) Response Sheet	Marvelous Mattie (Read 3)	“Lewis Latimer and the Long-Lasting Light Bulb” — End of Unit Assessment Slides \| Prompt \| Rubric	The Lizard and the Sun (Read 1)
Stations	On Day 4, the End of Unit Assessment is administered. Shared Reading: “Garrett Morgan” \| Slides Independent and Partner Reading Listening & Speaking: Talk, Draw, Talk \| Images \| Listen & Respond (Marvelous Mattie) Science Literacy: How can I use the engineering design process to improve my project? Vocabulary: Draw for Meaning Word Work: Trick Word Memory \| Fluent Reader’s Challenge \| Plural Suffix Sort \| Name It, Write It, Mark It
Science and Engineering	Lesson 1: Using the Engineering Design Process \| Slides \| Journal Prompts \| Design Process Cards Lesson 2: Using the Engineering Design Process
Studios	Studios Studio Prompts Children continue working on communication tools and begin other ideas for the Look and Listen! Project.
Writing Basics	Individual Construction, Deconstruction, and Revision	Individual Construction, Deconstruction, and Revision	Individual Construction, Deconstruction, and Revision	Individual Construction: Phenomenon Statement Statement Sheet	Peer-to-Peer Feedback Feedback Sheet

Week 8: At-a-Glance

	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Vocabulary and Language	Introduce Weekly Words: senses, effect, amplify Vocab Cards	Introduce Weekly Words: determine, warn, innovate	Vocabulary Review	Vocabulary Review	No lesson; time used for Unit presentation and celebration
Text Talk	The Lizard and the Sun (Read 2)	The Lizard and the Sun (Read 3)	Follow the Moon Home (Read 1)	Follow the Moon Home (Read 2)	Synthesis of Unit Ideas
Stations	Shared Reading: “With My Own Two Hands” \| Slides Independent and Partner Reading Listening & Speaking: Talk, Draw, Talk \| Images \| Listen & Respond (The Lizard and the Sun) Science Literacy: What can we learn from all the data we collected in our observations of the sky? Vocabulary: Draw for Meaning Word Work: Fluent Reader’s Challenge \| Trick Word Memory \| Name It, Write It, Mark It \| Sentences \| Name It, Sort It
Science and Engineering	Charting Daylight Lesson 1: Synthesizing our Journal Work Lesson 2: Making Sundials Journal Prompts \| Monthly Daylight Charts \| Daylight Chart \| Sundial
Studios	Studios Finalizing and preparing projects for presentation.
Writing Basics	Introduction to and Beginning Revising and Publishing	Introduction to and Beginning Revising and Publishing	Publishing	Post-Assessment Sheet Rubric	Presentation and Celebration

Maine.gov

Department of Education

1st Grade for ME - Unit 4 - Communicating With Sound and Light