See-Through Materials

Overview

In this third lesson of Light and Colour Explorers, 20 Year 1 students investigate how different materials interact with light. They handle, observe and test everyday materials, then sort them as transparent, translucent or opaque and explain how much light passes through.

Learning intentions

• WALT sort materials as transparent, translucent or opaque.
• WALT investigate materials using a torch and a bright light source.
• WALT describe how much light passes through different materials.
• WALT use scientific words to share observations and reasons.

Success criteria

• I can use the words transparent, translucent and opaque.
• I can sort materials correctly.
• I can explain whether all, some or no light passes through.
• I can share what I noticed and give a reason.

Curriculum links

• Physical Science — Light and shadow: testing and describing how materials interact with light.
• Physical Science — Light and shadow: identifying transparent, translucent and opaque materials.
• Physical Science — Light and shadow: describing how opaque materials block light and translucent materials let some light through.
• Physical Science — Materials and their properties: comparing and grouping everyday materials by shared physical properties.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook and revisit. Teacher dims the room slightly, shines a torch through clear plastic and cardboard, and asks, “What happened to the light?” Open with the hook and vocabulary slides and invite students to think, pair-share and recall what light does. Students observe, make a prediction and use gestures for “through”, “some through” and “blocked”.

2. 5–12 min · Explicit teaching. Teacher introduces the three terms with matching gestures and icons: transparent means all or most light passes through and we can see clearly; translucent means some light passes through and the view is blurred; opaque means light is blocked. Model testing one item safely with a torch and a bright window or light table. Students repeat the words, practise saying a sentence and predict the category for one material.

3. 12–27 min · Hands-on investigation. Teacher places students in five groups of four and provides clear plastic, tracing paper, fabric, cardboard, coloured cellophane and safe natural materials such as leaves or thin sticks. Groups rotate materials between a torch station and a light table or bright-window station, looking through, touching and observing the amount of light. Students record a drawing, category and “all/some/no light” observation on the light transmission recording sheet.

4. 27–35 min · Collaborative sorting. Teacher sets out three labelled hoops with matching icons and supports groups to place each material in the appropriate hoop, asking, “What is your evidence?” Students compare results, move items if new evidence supports a different decision, and explain their choices to a partner using “I sorted ___ as ___ because ___ light passes through.”

5. 35–41 min · Share and reason. Teacher returns to the investigation and discussion slides and displays photographs or simple drawings of the tested materials. Invite groups to share one clear example, one surprising result and how coloured cellophane changed the light. Students use the vocabulary to agree, question or respectfully revise an idea.

6. 41–45 min · Plenary and assessment. Teacher shows three materials and asks students to hold up the matching icon or point to a hoop, then completes an oral check: “Tell me what transparent means.” Students state one category and explain whether all, some or no light passes through. Collect the completed recording sheet for evidence of learning.

Resources

• the complete See-Through Materials slide deck
• the light transmission recording sheet
• Three large hoops labelled transparent, translucent and opaque
• Matching category icons and colour-coded vocabulary cards
• Torches with fresh batteries
• Light table or bright window
• Clear plastic, tracing paper, fabric, cardboard and coloured cellophane
• Safe natural materials, such as leaves, petals and thin sticks
• Cloth or paper for covering the light source if needed

Assessment

• Listen for accurate use of transparent, translucent and opaque during prediction, testing and partner explanations.
• Observe whether students classify materials using evidence about how much light passes through, rather than simply naming the material.
• Review the worksheet for a correct category and an all/some/no light observation; provide an oral alternative where writing is a barrier.

Differentiation

• Provide three labelled hoops with matching icons, colour-coded vocabulary cards, picture-word matching and repeated oral rehearsal.
• Allow students to touch and handle materials, use gestures and observe with a partner. Pair students strategically so peers can model vocabulary and safe investigation routines.
• For dyslexia-friendly access, use bold sans-serif print, uncluttered worksheet spaces, large pictures and oral instructions; accept drawings, pointing, dictated responses or an oral assessment.
• Support sensory or visual needs by offering different distances from the torch, a bright window instead of the light table, and a quiet observation space. Never shine torches into eyes.

Extension

• Invite students to rank tested materials from most to least light transmission and justify the order using “more”, “less” and “because”.
• Ask students to predict where a new material belongs, test it, and explain whether the evidence matched their prediction.