Light and Sound
We see with light and hear with sound. Let's discover how they work!
Sources of Light
Light is a type of energy that lets us see things. Light comes from different sources.
Sun
Biggest light source!
Torch
Helps us see in the dark
Light Bulb
Lights up our rooms
Fire
Candles and campfires
Stars
Light up the night sky
Screens
TV, tablet, phone
How Shadows Are Made
A shadow forms when something blocks the light. The object stops the light from passing through, making a dark shape on the other side.
Light source
Object
Shadow!
Light travels in straight lines. When an object blocks it, a shadow appears on the wall or ground behind!
Sources of Sound
Sound is made when something vibrates (shakes back and forth very quickly). Sound travels through the air to our ears.
Guitar
Strings vibrate
Drum
Skin vibrates when hit
Voice
Vocal cords vibrate
Birds
Singing and chirping
Car Horn
Loud warning sound
Bell
Rings when it vibrates
Volume: Loud or Quiet?
Pitch: High or Low?
💡 Think About It!
Close your eyes for 30 seconds and listen carefully. How many different sounds can you hear? What makes you say some are loud and some are quiet?
🧪 Try It at Home!
Shadow Puppet Show
- Wait until it is dark or go into a dark room
- Shine a torch at a blank wall
- Put your hands between the torch and wall
- Make shapes — a dog, a bird, a rabbit!
- Move closer and further from the light. What happens to the shadow?
Homemade Instrument
- Stretch a rubber band over an empty box
- Pluck the rubber band — can you hear a sound?
- Try different sized rubber bands
- Which one makes a higher sound? Lower?
- What happens when you pluck harder?
Key Vocabulary
Light Source
Something that makes its own light, like the sun, a torch, or a candle.
Shadow
A dark shape made when an object blocks light.
Vibrate
To shake back and forth very quickly. Vibrations make sound.
Pitch
How high or low a sound is. A whistle is high pitch; thunder is low pitch.
Knowledge Check
Choose the correct answer for each question. Click "Check Answer" to see if you are right!
Question 1
Which of these is a source of light? 💡
Question 2
How is a shadow made?
Question 3
Sound is made when something... 🎵
Question 4
A whistle makes a _____ sound and a drum makes a _____ sound.
Question 5
Which object does NOT make its own light?
Key Concepts Summary
- ●Light sources include the sun, torches, light bulbs, fire, and stars.
- ●Shadows form when an object blocks light.
- ●Sound is made when something vibrates (shakes quickly).
- ●Sounds can be loud or quiet (volume) and high or low (pitch).
- ●The Moon does not make its own light — it reflects sunlight.