What does science look like for first graders this year?

Students explore how sound and light work, how plants and animals use their bodies to survive, how baby animals look like their parents, and how the sun, moon, and stars move across the sky. Most of the learning happens through hands-on observation, not reading from a textbook.

How can families help with science at home?

Step outside and notice things together. Watch the moon over a week, listen for different sounds and feel the vibrations, or compare a pet to its babies in a photo. Five minutes of looking and talking does more than a worksheet.

What should students know about the sun and moon by the end of the year?

Students should notice that the sun rises and sets every day, the moon changes shape over the month, and stars appear at night. They should also see that summer days are longer than winter days.

My child gets bored with science questions. What can I try?

Turn it into a small experiment. Shine a flashlight through wax paper, foil, and a clear cup of water and ask what happens. Tap a bowl of rice with a spoon and watch the grains jump. Kids stay engaged when they get to do something.

How should the year be sequenced?

Many teachers start with sound and light in the fall because the investigations are short and build observation habits. Plant and animal features fit well in spring when kids can go outside. Sun and moon patterns work all year because they need repeat observations over weeks.

Which standards usually need the most reteaching?

The light and sound standards often need a second pass. First graders can say light helps us see, but they struggle to explain why a dark room hides objects. Plan to revisit the idea with different materials so the pattern sticks.

Does my child need to memorize science vocabulary?

Not really. First graders should be able to describe what they see in their own words, like saying a drum skin shakes when hit. Big words like vibration can come later once the idea is solid.

What counts as evidence for a first grader?

Evidence is what students observe directly: a drawing of the moon on three nights, a chart of which materials let light through, a photo of a puppy next to its mother. Keep the recording simple so the thinking stays the focus.

How do I know students are ready for second grade science?

Look for students who ask questions, make a prediction, test it with a simple setup, and describe what happened. The specific content matters less than the habit of investigating and noticing patterns over time.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year science becomes something students test out with their own eyes and ears. Students bang on objects to see how sound vibrates, shine flashlights to see what light does, and watch how animals act like their parents. They track the sun and moon across the sky and notice how daylight stretches longer in summer. By spring, they can explain why a room goes dark without light and point out ways a puppy looks and acts like its mother.

Light and sound
Animal parents and babies
Sun and moon patterns
Daylight and seasons
Plants and animals

Source: Alabama Alabama Course of Study

Year at a glance

How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.

1
Sound you can feel
Students explore how sound is made by things that shake or vibrate, like a plucked rubber band or a tapped drum. They notice that loud sounds can even make nearby objects move.
2
Light and what we see
Students figure out that we need light to see anything at all. They test how light passes through, bounces off, or gets blocked by everyday materials like wax paper, foil, and a clear cup.
3
Sending signals
Students build a simple device that uses light or sound to send a message across the room, like a flashlight code or a string telephone. They learn that people send signals over distances on purpose.
4
How animals and plants survive
Students look closely at animals and plants and notice how body parts like claws, beaks, leaves, and roots help them find food, stay safe, and grow.
5
Parents and their young
Students learn how parents take care of their babies and how that care helps the young stay alive. They also compare baby animals and plants to their parents to spot what looks the same and what looks different.
6
Sky patterns and seasons
Students watch the sun, moon, and stars and notice patterns, like the sun rising in roughly the same direction each day. They also track how daylight gets longer in summer and shorter in winter.

Mastery Learning Standards

The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 1.

Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

Carry out investigations to provide evidence that the vibrations of matter can…

1.1

Students shake, tap, or pluck objects to show that movement creates sound. They also watch how sound waves make other objects move in response.
Use evidence from observations to explain that light is necessary in order for…

1.2

Students observe objects in lit and dark conditions to figure out why we can only see things when light is present. No light means nothing to see, no matter how close the object is.
Plan and carry out investigations to determine how light is affected when it…

1.3

Students shine light on different materials, like clear plastic, wax paper, and cardboard, to find out how much light passes through, bounces back, or gets blocked.
Design and construct a device that uses light or sound waves to send a…

1.4

Students build a simple device that sends a message using light or sound across a distance, like a flashlight signal or a string-and-cup phone. The goal is to show that waves can carry information from one place to another.

Standard	Definition	Code
Carry out investigations to provide evidence that the vibrations of matter can…	Students shake, tap, or pluck objects to show that movement creates sound. They also watch how sound waves make other objects move in response.	1.1
Use evidence from observations to explain that light is necessary in order for…	Students observe objects in lit and dark conditions to figure out why we can only see things when light is present. No light means nothing to see, no matter how close the object is.	1.2
Plan and carry out investigations to determine how light is affected when it…	Students shine light on different materials, like clear plastic, wax paper, and cardboard, to find out how much light passes through, bounces back, or gets blocked.	1.3
Design and construct a device that uses light or sound waves to send a…	Students build a simple device that sends a message using light or sound across a distance, like a flashlight signal or a string-and-cup phone. The goal is to show that waves can carry information from one place to another.	1.4

Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

Carry out investigations to provide evidence that the vibrations of matter can…

1.1

Students shake, tap, or pluck objects to show that movement creates sound. They also watch how sound waves make other objects move in response.
Use evidence from observations to explain that light is necessary in order for…

1.2

Students observe objects in lit and dark conditions to figure out why we can only see things when light is present. No light means nothing to see, no matter how close the object is.
Plan and carry out investigations to determine how light is affected when it…

1.3

Students shine light on different materials, like clear plastic, wax paper, and cardboard, to find out how much light passes through, bounces back, or gets blocked.
Design and construct a device that uses light or sound waves to send a…

1.4

Students build a simple device that sends a message using light or sound across a distance, like a flashlight signal or a string-and-cup phone. The goal is to show that waves can carry information from one place to another.

Standard	Definition	Code
Carry out investigations to provide evidence that the vibrations of matter can…	Students shake, tap, or pluck objects to show that movement creates sound. They also watch how sound waves make other objects move in response.	1.1
Use evidence from observations to explain that light is necessary in order for…	Students observe objects in lit and dark conditions to figure out why we can only see things when light is present. No light means nothing to see, no matter how close the object is.	1.2
Plan and carry out investigations to determine how light is affected when it…	Students shine light on different materials, like clear plastic, wax paper, and cardboard, to find out how much light passes through, bounces back, or gets blocked.	1.3
Design and construct a device that uses light or sound waves to send a…	Students build a simple device that sends a message using light or sound across a distance, like a flashlight signal or a string-and-cup phone. The goal is to show that waves can carry information from one place to another.	1.4

From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Use information from observations to explain how various external features help…

1.5

Students look closely at animals and plants, then explain how a specific body part (like a beak, root, or shell) helps that living thing find food, stay safe, or grow.
Obtain information from text and other media to provide evidence that parents…

1.6

Students find examples showing how parent animals and their babies act in similar ways, like feeding or protecting, that help the young survive.

Standard	Definition	Code
Use information from observations to explain how various external features help…	Students look closely at animals and plants, then explain how a specific body part (like a beak, root, or shell) helps that living thing find food, stay safe, or grow.	1.5
Obtain information from text and other media to provide evidence that parents…	Students find examples showing how parent animals and their babies act in similar ways, like feeding or protecting, that help the young survive.	1.6

From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Use information from observations to explain how various external features help…

1.5

Students look closely at animals and plants, then explain how a specific body part (like a beak, root, or shell) helps that living thing find food, stay safe, or grow.
Obtain information from text and other media to provide evidence that parents…

1.6

Students find examples showing how parent animals and their babies act in similar ways, like feeding or protecting, that help the young survive.

Standard	Definition	Code
Use information from observations to explain how various external features help…	Students look closely at animals and plants, then explain how a specific body part (like a beak, root, or shell) helps that living thing find food, stay safe, or grow.	1.5
Obtain information from text and other media to provide evidence that parents…	Students find examples showing how parent animals and their babies act in similar ways, like feeding or protecting, that help the young survive.	1.6

Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

Make observations to identify the similarities and differences between…

1.7

Students look closely at baby animals and plants next to their parents and notice what looks the same and what looks different, like color, shape, or size.

Standard	Definition	Code
Make observations to identify the similarities and differences between…	Students look closely at baby animals and plants next to their parents and notice what looks the same and what looks different, like color, shape, or size.	1.7

Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

Make observations to identify the similarities and differences between…

1.7

Students look closely at baby animals and plants next to their parents and notice what looks the same and what looks different, like color, shape, or size.

Standard	Definition	Code
Make observations to identify the similarities and differences between…	Students look closely at baby animals and plants next to their parents and notice what looks the same and what looks different, like color, shape, or size.	1.7

Earth’s Place in the Universe

Observe, describe, and predict patterns of the sun, moon

1.8

Students watch how the sun, moon, and stars move across the sky and learn to predict where they will appear next. The patterns repeat, so students can make real guesses about what the sky will look like tomorrow.
Use observations of seasonal sunrise and sunset patterns to describe the…

1.9

Students watch how sunrise and sunset times shift across the seasons and use that pattern to explain why summer days feel long and winter days feel short.

Standard	Definition	Code
Observe, describe, and predict patterns of the sun, moon	Students watch how the sun, moon, and stars move across the sky and learn to predict where they will appear next. The patterns repeat, so students can make real guesses about what the sky will look like tomorrow.	1.8
Use observations of seasonal sunrise and sunset patterns to describe the…	Students watch how sunrise and sunset times shift across the seasons and use that pattern to explain why summer days feel long and winter days feel short.	1.9

Earth’s Place in the Universe

Observe, describe, and predict patterns of the sun, moon

1.8

Students watch how the sun, moon, and stars move across the sky and learn to predict where they will appear next. The patterns repeat, so students can make real guesses about what the sky will look like tomorrow.
Use observations of seasonal sunrise and sunset patterns to describe the…

1.9

Students watch how sunrise and sunset times shift across the seasons and use that pattern to explain why summer days feel long and winter days feel short.

Standard	Definition	Code
Observe, describe, and predict patterns of the sun, moon	Students watch how the sun, moon, and stars move across the sky and learn to predict where they will appear next. The patterns repeat, so students can make real guesses about what the sky will look like tomorrow.	1.8
Use observations of seasonal sunrise and sunset patterns to describe the…	Students watch how sunrise and sunset times shift across the seasons and use that pattern to explain why summer days feel long and winter days feel short.	1.9

Common Questions

What does science look like for first graders this year?
Students explore how sound and light work, how plants and animals use their bodies to survive, how baby animals look like their parents, and how the sun, moon, and stars move across the sky. Most of the learning happens through hands-on observation, not reading from a textbook.
How can families help with science at home?
Step outside and notice things together. Watch the moon over a week, listen for different sounds and feel the vibrations, or compare a pet to its babies in a photo. Five minutes of looking and talking does more than a worksheet.
What should students know about the sun and moon by the end of the year?
Students should notice that the sun rises and sets every day, the moon changes shape over the month, and stars appear at night. They should also see that summer days are longer than winter days.
My child gets bored with science questions. What can I try?
Turn it into a small experiment. Shine a flashlight through wax paper, foil, and a clear cup of water and ask what happens. Tap a bowl of rice with a spoon and watch the grains jump. Kids stay engaged when they get to do something.
How should the year be sequenced?
Many teachers start with sound and light in the fall because the investigations are short and build observation habits. Plant and animal features fit well in spring when kids can go outside. Sun and moon patterns work all year because they need repeat observations over weeks.
Which standards usually need the most reteaching?
The light and sound standards often need a second pass. First graders can say light helps us see, but they struggle to explain why a dark room hides objects. Plan to revisit the idea with different materials so the pattern sticks.
Does my child need to memorize science vocabulary?
Not really. First graders should be able to describe what they see in their own words, like saying a drum skin shakes when hit. Big words like vibration can come later once the idea is solid.
What counts as evidence for a first grader?
Evidence is what students observe directly: a drawing of the moon on three nights, a chart of which materials let light through, a photo of a puppy next to its mother. Keep the recording simple so the thinking stays the focus.
How do I know students are ready for second grade science?
Look for students who ask questions, make a prediction, test it with a simple setup, and describe what happened. The specific content matters less than the habit of investigating and noticing patterns over time.