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Learning Standards Standards

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year science moves from noticing the world to testing simple ideas about it. Students figure out that sound comes from things that vibrate and that we only see objects when light hits them. They look at how baby animals and plants resemble their parents but are not identical, and they track patterns in the sun and moon across the year. By spring, students can plan a small experiment, record what they see, and use the results to explain why something happened.

  • Light and sound
  • Animal and plant parts
  • Parents and offspring
  • Sun and moon patterns
  • Simple experiments
  • Design challenges
Source: Michigan Michigan K-12 Standards
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. 1

    Sound and light

    Students explore how sound comes from things that shake or buzz, and how a room has to be lit before eyes can see what's in it. They test what happens when light hits different materials, like clear plastic or thick cardboard.

  2. 2

    Building a way to signal

    Students use what they learned about light and sound to design a small device that sends a message across the room, like a flashlight code or a tin-can phone. They sketch a plan, build it, and try it out.

  3. 3

    How living things survive

    Students look at how animals and plants use their parts to stay safe, find food, and grow. They borrow ideas from nature to solve a human problem, like designing a hook based on a burr or a cup shaped like a leaf.

  4. 4

    Patterns in the sky

    Students watch the sun, moon, and stars and notice patterns they can predict, like the sun rising in the same direction each morning. They track how daylight gets longer in spring and shorter in fall.

  5. 5

    Solving problems by design

    Students pull the year together by acting like engineers. They name a small problem, sketch two possible fixes, build them, and compare which one works better and why.

Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 1.
Waves: Light and Sound

  • Plan and conduct investigations to provide evidence that vibrating materials…

    1-PS4-1

    Students shake, tap, or pluck objects to discover that vibrations make sound. Then they test whether sound can make other objects move or shake in return.

  • Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that objects can be…

    1-PS4-2

    Students observe what happens when a light source is turned on or off. The lesson is that objects become visible only when light hits them.

  • Plan and conduct an investigation to determine the effect of placing objects…

    1-PS4-3

    Students shine a light and place different objects in its path to see what happens: does the light pass through, bounce back, or get blocked? They record what they find.

  • Use tools and materials to design and build a device that uses light or sound…

    1-PS4-4

    Students build a device that sends a message using light or sound, like a signal lamp or a simple drum, to reach someone too far away to hear a normal voice.

Structure, Function, and Information Processing

  • Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants…

    1-LS1-1

    Students look at how animals and plants use their body parts to survive, like how a bird's beak scoops food or how leaves catch sunlight. Then they build something that copies that idea to solve a real problem.

  • Read texts and use media to determine patterns in behavior of parents and…

    1-LS1-2

    Students look at books, videos, and images to find patterns in how parent animals care for their young. The goal is to understand which of those behaviors help the offspring stay alive.

  • Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that young plants and…

    1-LS3-1

    Students observe real plants and animals to figure out how offspring resemble their parents without being identical copies. A puppy looks like its parents but not exactly like either one.

Space Systems: Patterns and Cycles

  • Use observations of the sun, moon

    1-ESS1-1

    Students watch how the sun, moon, and stars move across the sky and describe the patterns they notice. Those patterns repeat on a schedule, so students can predict what comes next.

  • Make observations at different times of year to relate the amount of daylight…

    1-ESS1-2

    Students track how daylight hours change across the seasons, noticing that some months bring long bright days and others bring short ones. They learn that the time of year determines how much daylight we get.

Engineering Design

  • Ask questions, make observations

    K-2-ETS1-1

    Students look at something that isn't working well, ask questions about it, and figure out exactly what the problem is before trying to fix it.

  • Develop a simple sketch, drawing

    K-2-ETS1-2

    Students draw or build a simple model to show how an object's shape helps it do its job. A wide base keeps something from tipping; a pointed tip helps something push through.

  • Analyze data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to…

    K-2-ETS1-3

    Students test two different solutions to the same problem, then compare what each one does well and where it falls short.

Common Questions
  • What science will students learn this year?

    Students explore four big areas: light and sound, how plants and animals use their parts to survive, patterns in the sky like the sun and moon, and simple engineering. Most of the learning happens through hands-on investigations, not reading from a textbook.

  • How can I help with science at home?

    Talk about what students notice outside. Point out the moon at different times, listen for sounds and ask what is vibrating, and shine a flashlight on different objects to see what blocks light and what lets it through. Five minutes of noticing counts.

  • Does my child need to memorize science facts?

    Not really. First graders are building habits of looking closely, asking questions, and explaining what they saw. Knowing the names of planets or animal parts matters less than being able to describe a pattern they noticed.

  • How should I sequence the units across the year?

    Light and sound works well early because the investigations are quick and engaging. Save the daylight patterns unit for a stretch where students can compare seasons. Plant and animal structures fits nicely in spring when students can observe outside.

  • Which ideas usually need the most reteaching?

    Two trip students up. First, that we see objects because light bounces off them, not because eyes send something out. Second, that young animals and plants resemble their parents but are not identical. Both need repeated examples.

  • What does the engineering design work look like?

    Students define a small problem, sketch an idea, build it from simple materials, and compare two designs to see which worked better. The point is the cycle of trying, testing, and improving, not a polished final product.

  • How can I support the sky patterns unit at home?

    Look at the moon together a few nights in a row and notice how it changes shape. Note what time it gets dark in October compared to January. These short observations give students real data to bring back to class.

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

    By June, students should be able to plan a simple investigation, record what they observed, and explain a pattern with evidence. They should also be comfortable sketching a design idea and revising it after a test.