Light shows

Light shows addresses AC Science Understanding ACSSU080 Light from a source forms shadows and can be absorbed, reflected and refracted, through the context of conducting investigations to observe the behaviour of light in a variety of situations.

Explore our new sequences for Year 5 aligned to AC V9

Light shows provides students with hands-on opportunities to:

• explore the role of light in enabling us to see objects
• consider sources of light and how light travels
• investigate the size and direction of shadows
• explore how reflective surfaces and different materials affect the path of light
• investigate what happens when light passes through water

Students apply their new learning by:

•  planning and conducting an investigation into the factors that affect the height of a shadow

Linking science with literacy

In the Primary Connections approach, students are supported to create representations that draw on and strengthen their literacy development. In Light shows, students represent and explain their understanding about how light from a source forms shadows and can be absorbed, reflected and refracted, by creating these representations:

• Graph
• Labelled diagram
• Procedural text
• Ray diagram
• Science chat-board
• Data table
• Word wall

This is a classic Primary Connections sequence aligned with the Australian Curriculum V8.4. It is only available as a downloadable package.

The Light shows sequence package includes all the resources you need to teach this sequence, including:

• The Light shows unit PDF
• Equipment list
• Australian Curriculum v8.4 alignment
• Student eResource sheets
• Assessment resources:
  • Assessment rubrics
  • Work samples
  • Student self-assessment
  • Achievement standard class checklist

Teacher tools

Our new all-online sequence Light imitates art shares a curriculum content descriptor with this sequence. Light imitates art is aligned to the Australian Curriculum V9 and contains embedded professional learning and supplementary teacher advice.