How Can I See in the Dark? 

K.McCartney, ​Grade 1: Lesson 1 of 3 
 

I expect this lesson to take 45 minutes. I will read a story about the moon to the students to 
introduce the concept of needing light to see objects in darkness. Students will also examine 
objects in a black box without a flashlight, and then with a flashlight, to demonstrate that objects 
in darkness can only be seen when illuminated. The students will embark on a “Camping Trip” 
where they will discover which objects give off natural or artificial light. The class will watch a 
Cave Diving video to evaluate the light being used to illuminate the objects under the water. 
Students will complete a summative assessment at the end of the lesson.  

 
 
NGSS targets:  
PE Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that objects in
1-PS4-2 darkness can be seen only when illuminated. .​[Clarification Statement: Examples of
observations could include those made in a completely dark room, a pinhole box, and a
video of a cave explorer with a flashlight. Illumination could be from an external light
source or by an object giving off its own light.]
 
DCI: Objects can be seen if light is available to illuminate them or if they give off their
own light.  
 
CCC: Cause and Effect
● Simple tests can be designed to gather evidence to support or refute student
ideas about causes.  
 
SEP: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
● Make observations (firsthand or from media) to construct an evidence-based
account for natural phenomena.  

Student Learning Objectives 

1. Four students in each group will examine the inside of a box without a flashlight and then 
with a flashlight, and formulate cause-and-effect statements. 
2. Teams of 2 students will differentiate which objects give off light and which objects do 
not, using previous knowledge in the “My Camping Trip” worksheet.  
3. The class will defend their argument for artificial light or natural light by creating a table to 
classify all the objects that give off light from the “My Camping Trip” worksheet.  

1 
 

Engage 
Ask the students, “I want you to raise your hand if you have ever seen the moon before.” 
Students will raise their hands. Ask the students, “What do you think the moon would say if it 
could talk?” Inquire of student responses, and then tell the students that we are going to read a 
book called ​And If the Moon Could Talk​.  

Read ​And if the Moon Could Talk​. 

After reading the story, tell the students, “Wow, the moon was able to see a lot of things. But, at 
night, it’s dark. How was the moon able to see all of those things in the dark? Choose students to 
respond until one answers that the moon gives off light to see in the dark.  

Say, “Yes, the moon does give off light from the sun, so we can see some things in the dark. 
However, the moon doesn’t give off it’s own light, but the sun gives off it’s light to the moon. It’s 
like the sun is a flashlight shining on the moon.” Flip back to the page where it talks about the 
stars and a fire burning. Ask, “In our story, it talked about stars flaring up and a small fire burning. 
Do you think the stars and the fire give off light too? Give me a thumbs up if you think they do 
give off light and a thumbs down if you think they do not give off light.” Students will give you 
their responses. Guide students in answering yes, stars and a fire do give off light.  

Explore 
Say, “Class, today we are going to go into a forest like this one (Picture A). People can go camping in a 
forest, by the ocean, or in a huge park. When you go camping, you’re out in nature and you can sleep in a 
tent like this one. I have a bag here that I want to take with me when I go camping. Do you all want to see 
what I’m bringing with me?” Students will respond yes, and I will show them the contents inside my bag 
(sunscreen, sunglasses, a flashlight, matches, a hat). Ask the students,” Why would I need to bring a 
flashlight and matches with me?” Inquire of student responses. 

Tell the students, “I have seven boxes filled with things we could see on our camping trip. We are going to 
pretend that it is nighttime, so I am going to turn the lights off. But, we have to be quiet so we don’t wake 
up the bears.” Turn off the lights in the classroom. Instruct students, “We are going to get into small groups 
and examine these boxes. I want everyone to try to look inside of them, and discuss with your group if you 
can see anything inside.” Allow for a couple of minutes for every student in the group to look inside the 
box. Gather the class together again and announce, “If you can’t see anything, then you can use a 
flashlight to look inside the box.” Hand out the flashlights, and then walk around to each group and make a 
list of what each group is seeing in the box. This will be an opportunity to guide student understanding and 
answer any questions.  

2 
 

Explain 
Ask, “Could someone tell me what did we just do?” One student will describe what they just did. 
Ask, “When you first looked in the boxes, why was it hard to see?” Have a few students describe 
that it was hard to see because it was dark, or because they didn’t have light. Write down the first 
cause-and-effect statement: There was no light, so I couldn’t see objects in the dark. Ask 
students, “Why did the flashlight help you see the objects?” A few students will answer because a 
flashlight gives off light, or the light helps them to see. Write down the second cause-and-effect 
statement: When there was light, I could see objects in the dark.  

Explain to students, “Friends, our flashlights helped us see objects because it gave us light. We 
were able to see the objects because they were illuminated by the flashlight.” Write down the 
word​ illuminate​ on the board. Ask, “If the objects were illuminated by the flashlight, what do we 
think the word ​illuminate​ means?” Inquire of a few student responses, and guide them to define 
​ s “lighting up.” Write down the third cause-and-effect statement: When 
the word ​illuminate a
objects are illuminated, I am able to see the objects. 

Tell the students, “On our camping trip, we will see many different things. I have a paper with pictures of 
the different things we would see. Everyone will work in partners to color in all of the pictures that you think 
would give off light. If you think an object doesn’t give off light, then put a big “X” on the picture.” 

Hand out the “My Camping Trip” worksheet to each pair of students. Check in with each pair of students 
throughout the activity. Ask students as you go around, “How does that object give off light? Do humans 
have to make that light turn on?” 

After this activity, draw two columns on the board. One column will be labeled “Gives Off Its Own Light” 
and another column will be labeled “I Have to Make it Light Up.” Have a cut-out of the six objects that 
gives off light from the “My Camping Trip” worksheet. Ask the students, “I want to know what objects you 
all colored in because these objects gives off light. Can you help me?” Six different students will each tape 
a picture on the board. As they come up to the board, they will determine which column is the appropriate 
one for the picture. Ask the student, “Why does this object belong in this column?” Explain to students that 
the objects in the “Gives Off Its Own Light” column are natural sources of light because they don’t have on 
or off switches. Explain to students that the objects in the “I Have to Make It Light Up” column are artificial 
sources or light, or external light sources that do have to be turned on and off. 

Elaborate 
Say, “Friends, I am going to show you a short video and I want you to be thinking about why the 
light in this video is important. What could this light be illuminating?”  

3 
 

Show the Planet Earth Caves Video from 26:40 - 29:10 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en8Z-lwLDB4 

Ask, “What did you observe in the video?” Students will share their observations. A student will 
eventually say that they saw a flashlight in the video. Ask, “What was the purpose of the flashlight 
in the cave? Turn to a partner and share your answers.” Students will discuss with their partners.  

Gather the class back together and have some pairs of students share their responses to the 
purpose of the flashlight in the cave. Ask the students, “What else could help the divers see 
objects in the ocean?” Have students share their answers which should include the sun. Write 
down student answers, and ask students the follow-up questions, “Are these lights natural or 
artificial? Why?” Have students classify their answers as either natural or artificial lights. Students 
will look at the data, and create a class definition for natural and artificial lights.  

Evaluate 
Summative: Students will complete the “Help! It’s Dark!” exit ticket as a way to show that they can 
draw an example of an artificial and natural light. They will also argue why light is important in the 
dark. 

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My Camping Trip 
Directions: Color in the items that you think will give off light. Put an “X” on the items that 
you think would not give off light.  

Stars Lighting Bolt Matches 

Bear   Fire Sign 

Sun  Tent   Flashlight 

6 
 

Help! It’s Dark! 

Directions: Draw a picture of one artificial light and one natural light that will help you see in the dark.  

Artificial LIght  Natural 

Why is light important in the dark? 

Help! It’s Dark! 

Directions: Draw a picture of one artificial light and one natural light that will help you see in the dark.  

Artificial LIght  Natural 

Why is light important in the dark? 

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Works Cited:  
References 

And If the Moon Could Talk by Kate Banks  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k72jGJTC_3o 

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