Chapter 8: Light and shadows

By the end of this chapter you will be able to

• Say that we need light to see things, that dark is the absence of light, and that we see an object when light from it enters our eyes
• Name light sources, such as the Sun, a torch and a lamp, and tell them apart from things that only reflect light
• Explain that light bounces off shiny surfaces such as mirrors, and that dull surfaces scatter light
• Say why we must never look directly at the Sun, and name ways to protect our eyes from its light
• Explain that a shadow forms when an opaque object blocks the light from a light source, and name what is needed for a shadow
• Read a fair test on shadow size, find the pattern, and explain how the shape of a shadow depends on the object and the light

You should already know

• The senses, and the body parts used to see and hear (Year 1 and Year 2 Science)
• Fair tests, and changing only one thing at a time (Year 3 Science, Chapter 1)

Where this leads

• Forces, and how things move on different surfaces (Year 3 Science, Chapter 9)
• Light and how we see, in more detail (Year 6 Science)