What does science look like this year?

Students explore sound and light, how plants and animals survive, how baby animals look like their parents, and patterns in the sky and seasons. Most learning happens through hands-on investigations, not reading from a textbook. Students are expected to ask questions, try things out, and share what they noticed.

How can I support science learning at home?

Go outside and notice things together. Watch the moon for a week, listen for sounds that make things shake, or look at how a bird uses its beak. Ask what students noticed and what they think might happen next. Five minutes of wondering out loud goes a long way.

What does mastery look like by the end of the year?

Students can plan a simple test, gather what they see and hear, and explain their thinking with evidence. They can describe patterns like day and night, seasons, and how baby animals resemble their parents. They can also design a small solution to a real problem using what they learned.

How should the year be sequenced?

Many teachers start with sky patterns in fall, since students can track daylight and temperature as the seasons change. Light and sound fit well in winter when days are short. Plants, animals, and baby-and-parent patterns work in spring when life is easy to observe outside.

Does my child need to memorize science facts?

Not really. First grade science is about noticing patterns and explaining what students saw, not memorizing terms. Talking through what happened in an investigation matters more than naming parts of a plant or labeling a diagram.

Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

Using evidence to back up a claim is the hardest part. Students often jump to an answer without pointing to what they actually saw or heard. Planning a fair test also takes practice, especially holding one thing steady while changing another.

What can we do at home to practice using evidence?

After students share an idea, ask how they know. If they say it will rain, ask what they saw in the sky. If they say a baby duck looks like its parent, ask which parts match. This builds the habit of pointing to evidence.

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

They should be comfortable making careful observations, drawing what they see, and explaining patterns in their own words. They should also be able to follow a simple plan to test an idea and talk about what changed and what stayed the same.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year science becomes about spotting patterns and testing ideas, not just naming things. Students learn that light lets us see, that sound comes from things vibrating, and that the sun and moon move in patterns they can predict. Plants and animals come up too, including how baby animals look like their parents but not exactly the same. By spring, students can run a small experiment, like shining a flashlight through different materials, and explain what they noticed.

Light and sound
Day and night patterns
Parents and offspring
Plants and animals
Simple experiments
Caring for the environment

Source: Oklahoma Oklahoma Academic 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
Sound and vibrations
Students explore how sound is made. They strum rubber bands, tap drums, and feel their throats hum to see that things shake when they make noise, and that loud sounds can shake things back.
2
Light and what we see
Students figure out that we only see things when light reaches them. They shine flashlights through clear, cloudy, and solid materials, then notice the shadows and reflections this makes.
3
Building a way to communicate
Students put sound and light to work. They design a simple tool, like a string telephone or a flashing signal, to send a message to someone far away.
4
Plants, animals, and their families
Students look at how living things use their bodies to survive, like beaks, claws, and leaves. They also compare baby animals and plants to their parents and spot what matches and what is a little different.
5
Sun, moon, and seasons
Students watch the sky over weeks and months. They track when the sun rises and sets, notice moon shapes, and connect shorter or longer days to warmer and colder weather.
6
Caring for our local world
Students look at how people affect the land, water, and air around them. They share simple ideas to cut down on that impact, like saving water or picking up trash near school.

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

Plan and conduct investigations to provide evidence that vibrating materials…

1.PS4.1

Students shake or tap objects to discover what makes sound, then watch how sound waves cause other objects to move. The focus is on the back-and-forth connection between vibration and sound.
Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that objects can be…

1.PS4.2

Objects can only be seen when light hits them. Students observe what happens to objects in the dark and in the light, then explain why light is the reason we can see anything at all.
Plan and conduct an investigation to determine the effect of placing objects…

1.PS4.3

Students shine a beam of light and place different objects in its path to see which materials let light pass through, block it, or bend it.
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 across a room using light or sound. Think flashlight signals or a simple string telephone.

Standard	Definition	Code
Plan and conduct investigations to provide evidence that vibrating materials…	Students shake or tap objects to discover what makes sound, then watch how sound waves cause other objects to move. The focus is on the back-and-forth connection between vibration and sound.	1.PS4.1
Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that objects can be…	Objects can only be seen when light hits them. Students observe what happens to objects in the dark and in the light, then explain why light is the reason we can see anything at all.	1.PS4.2
Plan and conduct an investigation to determine the effect of placing objects…	Students shine a beam of light and place different objects in its path to see which materials let light pass through, block it, or bend it.	1.PS4.3
Use tools and materials to design and build a device that uses light or sound…	Students build a device that sends a message across a room using light or sound. Think flashlight signals or a simple string telephone.	1.PS4.4

Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

Plan and conduct investigations to provide evidence that vibrating materials…

1.PS4.1

Students shake or tap objects to discover what makes sound, then watch how sound waves cause other objects to move. The focus is on the back-and-forth connection between vibration and sound.
Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that objects can be…

1.PS4.2

Objects can only be seen when light hits them. Students observe what happens to objects in the dark and in the light, then explain why light is the reason we can see anything at all.
Plan and conduct an investigation to determine the effect of placing objects…

1.PS4.3

Students shine a beam of light and place different objects in its path to see which materials let light pass through, block it, or bend it.
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 across a room using light or sound. Think flashlight signals or a simple string telephone.

Standard	Definition	Code
Plan and conduct investigations to provide evidence that vibrating materials…	Students shake or tap objects to discover what makes sound, then watch how sound waves cause other objects to move. The focus is on the back-and-forth connection between vibration and sound.	1.PS4.1
Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that objects can be…	Objects can only be seen when light hits them. Students observe what happens to objects in the dark and in the light, then explain why light is the reason we can see anything at all.	1.PS4.2
Plan and conduct an investigation to determine the effect of placing objects…	Students shine a beam of light and place different objects in its path to see which materials let light pass through, block it, or bend it.	1.PS4.3
Use tools and materials to design and build a device that uses light or sound…	Students build a device that sends a message across a room using light or sound. Think flashlight signals or a simple string telephone.	1.PS4.4

From Molecules to Organisms: Structure and Function

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

1.LS1.1

Students pick a problem humans face, then design a solution inspired by how an animal or plant uses its body to survive. For example, a waterproof coat modeled on a duck's feathers or a gripper modeled on a bird's claws.
Obtain information from media and/or text to determine patterns in the behavior…

1.LS1.2

Students look at books or videos to find patterns in how animal parents and their young behave. They focus on behaviors, like feeding or protecting, that help the young stay alive.

Standard	Definition	Code
Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants…	Students pick a problem humans face, then design a solution inspired by how an animal or plant uses its body to survive. For example, a waterproof coat modeled on a duck's feathers or a gripper modeled on a bird's claws.	1.LS1.1
Obtain information from media and/or text to determine patterns in the behavior…	Students look at books or videos to find patterns in how animal parents and their young behave. They focus on behaviors, like feeding or protecting, that help the young stay alive.	1.LS1.2

From Molecules to Organisms: Structure and Function

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

1.LS1.1

Students pick a problem humans face, then design a solution inspired by how an animal or plant uses its body to survive. For example, a waterproof coat modeled on a duck's feathers or a gripper modeled on a bird's claws.
Obtain information from media and/or text to determine patterns in the behavior…

1.LS1.2

Students look at books or videos to find patterns in how animal parents and their young behave. They focus on behaviors, like feeding or protecting, that help the young stay alive.

Standard	Definition	Code
Use materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants…	Students pick a problem humans face, then design a solution inspired by how an animal or plant uses its body to survive. For example, a waterproof coat modeled on a duck's feathers or a gripper modeled on a bird's claws.	1.LS1.1
Obtain information from media and/or text to determine patterns in the behavior…	Students look at books or videos to find patterns in how animal parents and their young behave. They focus on behaviors, like feeding or protecting, that help the young stay alive.	1.LS1.2

Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

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

1.LS3.1

Students look at pictures or real examples of plants and animals alongside their parents to explain how offspring can look similar but still have differences.

Standard	Definition	Code
Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that young plants and…	Students look at pictures or real examples of plants and animals alongside their parents to explain how offspring can look similar but still have differences.	1.LS3.1

Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

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

1.LS3.1

Students look at pictures or real examples of plants and animals alongside their parents to explain how offspring can look similar but still have differences.

Standard	Definition	Code
Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that young plants and…	Students look at pictures or real examples of plants and animals alongside their parents to explain how offspring can look similar but still have differences.	1.LS3.1

Earth's Place in the Universe

Use observations of the sun, moon

1.ESS1.1

Students watch the sun, moon, and stars over time and look for patterns, like the sun rising each morning and the moon changing shape across the month. Those patterns repeat, 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 and temperature change across the seasons, noticing that summer days are longer and warmer while winter days are shorter and cooler.

Standard	Definition	Code
Use observations of the sun, moon	Students watch the sun, moon, and stars over time and look for patterns, like the sun rising each morning and the moon changing shape across the month. Those patterns repeat, so students can predict what comes next.	1.ESS1.1
Make observations at different times of year to relate the amount of daylight…	Students track how daylight and temperature change across the seasons, noticing that summer days are longer and warmer while winter days are shorter and cooler.	1.ESS1.2

Earth's Place in the Universe

Use observations of the sun, moon

1.ESS1.1

Students watch the sun, moon, and stars over time and look for patterns, like the sun rising each morning and the moon changing shape across the month. Those patterns repeat, 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 and temperature change across the seasons, noticing that summer days are longer and warmer while winter days are shorter and cooler.

Standard	Definition	Code
Use observations of the sun, moon	Students watch the sun, moon, and stars over time and look for patterns, like the sun rising each morning and the moon changing shape across the month. Those patterns repeat, so students can predict what comes next.	1.ESS1.1
Make observations at different times of year to relate the amount of daylight…	Students track how daylight and temperature change across the seasons, noticing that summer days are longer and warmer while winter days are shorter and cooler.	1.ESS1.2

Earth and Human Activity

Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water…

1.ESS3.1

Students think of ways people can protect local land, water, or air, then explain their ideas to others. The focus is on real problems nearby and simple actions that could actually help.

Standard	Definition	Code
Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water…	Students think of ways people can protect local land, water, or air, then explain their ideas to others. The focus is on real problems nearby and simple actions that could actually help.	1.ESS3.1

Earth and Human Activity

Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water…

1.ESS3.1

Students think of ways people can protect local land, water, or air, then explain their ideas to others. The focus is on real problems nearby and simple actions that could actually help.

Standard	Definition	Code
Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water…	Students think of ways people can protect local land, water, or air, then explain their ideas to others. The focus is on real problems nearby and simple actions that could actually help.	1.ESS3.1

Common Questions

What does science look like this year?
Students explore sound and light, how plants and animals survive, how baby animals look like their parents, and patterns in the sky and seasons. Most learning happens through hands-on investigations, not reading from a textbook. Students are expected to ask questions, try things out, and share what they noticed.
How can I support science learning at home?
Go outside and notice things together. Watch the moon for a week, listen for sounds that make things shake, or look at how a bird uses its beak. Ask what students noticed and what they think might happen next. Five minutes of wondering out loud goes a long way.
What does mastery look like by the end of the year?
Students can plan a simple test, gather what they see and hear, and explain their thinking with evidence. They can describe patterns like day and night, seasons, and how baby animals resemble their parents. They can also design a small solution to a real problem using what they learned.
How should the year be sequenced?
Many teachers start with sky patterns in fall, since students can track daylight and temperature as the seasons change. Light and sound fit well in winter when days are short. Plants, animals, and baby-and-parent patterns work in spring when life is easy to observe outside.
Does my child need to memorize science facts?
Not really. First grade science is about noticing patterns and explaining what students saw, not memorizing terms. Talking through what happened in an investigation matters more than naming parts of a plant or labeling a diagram.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Using evidence to back up a claim is the hardest part. Students often jump to an answer without pointing to what they actually saw or heard. Planning a fair test also takes practice, especially holding one thing steady while changing another.
What can we do at home to practice using evidence?
After students share an idea, ask how they know. If they say it will rain, ask what they saw in the sky. If they say a baby duck looks like its parent, ask which parts match. This builds the habit of pointing to evidence.
How do I know students are ready for second grade science?
They should be comfortable making careful observations, drawing what they see, and explaining patterns in their own words. They should also be able to follow a simple plan to test an idea and talk about what changed and what stayed the same.