Module Description & Pacing Guide

This module provides experiences that help students develop an understanding of how to observe and manipulate the phenomena of sound and light. They explore these dimensions of the natural world using simple tools and musical instruments. The driving question for the module is how do sound and light interact with objects?

Students learn that sound comes from vibrating objects. They explore how to change sound volume and pitch, and develop simple models for how sound travels from a source to a receiver. With light, students also work with sources and receivers. They find out what happens when materials with different properties are placed in a beam of light, and explore how to create and change shadows and reflections. Students explore how to use sound and light devices to communicate information and compare the ways that animals use their senses (ears and eyes) to gather information about their environment.

Throughout the Sound and Light Module, students engage in science and engineering practices by collecting data and designing and using tools to solve problems and answer questions. Students gain experiences that contribute to their understanding of the crosscutting concepts: patterns; cause and effect; and systems and system models.