Below are ideas for extending this topic beyond the activity and exploration you just completed.
These Common-Core-aligned readings are free with registration on ReadWorks. All include comprehension questions.
This short reading reviews how traffic lights work and how to safely cross an intersection. (Grade K).
This short reading tells of the invention of the modern traffic light by Garrett Morgan, an African American inventor. (Grade 1)
For more advanced readers, this reading tells of Garrett Morgan’s inventions. (Grade 2)
It’s a Firefly Night by Dianne Ochiltree tells the story of a girl chasing the bugs and putting them in her jar. Don’t miss the fascinating facts about fireflies at the end! This online book is free with registration on Epic! (Ages 4-6)
This episode of SciShow Kids will tell you everything you want to know about fireflies.
Grade 1
Properties Of Light & Sound
Light, Communication, & Engineering
1-PS4-4
In this lesson, students practice using light to communicate information. In the activity, Secret Signals, students work in pairs to build a device that solves the problem of communicating over a distance. They send secret messages to one another using light and colored markers.
Preview activityColor Codes printout | Print 30 copies |
Markers
Preferably 1 red, 1 blue, and 1 green. You can use three other colors, but make sure they are very different from one another. Similar colors (red, pink, and orange) can lead to confusion.
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Details
45 markers
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LED Flashlights
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30 flashlights |
Make sure you have enough space. Pairs of students will need to be at least 5 or 6 feet apart, and have a clear line of sight to each other. Homeschool students working alone will need a partner to do this activity.
You will need to do this activity in the dark with the lights off and curtains drawn.
Flashlights are very fun, but can be very distracting! We suggest waiting to distribute flashlights to students until Step 6 of the activity.
Grade 1
Properties Of Light & Sound
Light, Communication, & Engineering
1-PS4-4
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