Marshall Cavendish Science Stage 2
1 Light and Dark
Lesson Plans
A
What Are Light Sources?
Learning outcome(s):
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Identify different sources of light such as the Sun.
Lesson 1 (2 periods; 80 minutes)
Introduction (10 minutes)
Resources: Pupil’s Book, pp. 2–3; Teacher’s Guide, pp. 4–5
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Show pupils the chapter opener of Tom, Raj, Lily and Aishah reading under different sources of
light on Pupil’s Book pp. 2–3.
 Read the rhyme.
 Ask pupils where Aishah should read. Ask them to explain their answers.
Exploration (70 minutes)
Resources: Pupil’s Book, pp. 4–7; Activity Book, WS 1, pp. 1–2; Teacher’s Guide, pp. 6–9
Materials:
1 mirror per class, 1 flashlight per class
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Let pupils look around them to identify light sources.
Let pupils find out about natural and man-made sources of light.
Let pupils do Worksheet 1 (Activity Book pp. 1–2) to identify light sources in different parts of the
school.
Let pupils observe and discuss whether the Moon and mirrors are light sources.
Lesson 2 (2 periods; 80 minutes)
Exploration (50 minutes)
Resources: Pupil’s Book, p. 7; Activity Book, WS 2, p. 3; Teacher’s Guide, p. 9
Materials:
1 bicycle reflector per pair, 1 flashlight per pair
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Let pupils partner each other to discuss the question in Try This (Pupil’s Book p. 7).
Ask pupils to predict whether a bicycle reflector is a light source.
Let pupils make suggestions for collecting evidence and decide how they can carry out a test to
verify their predictions.
Let pupils do Worksheet 2 (Activity Book p. 3) to identify the light sources in a night street scene
and classify the things in the picture into light sources and non-light sources.
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Light and Dark
1
Marshall Cavendish Science Stage 2
Explanation (30 minutes)
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Let pupils explain what light sources are and give some examples.
Check that their answers and explanations are scientifically correct and correct them if necessary.
Explain why the Moon and mirrors are not light sources.
Lesson 3 (1 period; 40 minutes)
Extension (20 minutes)
Resources: Pupil’s Book, p. 8; Teacher’s Guide, p. 10
 Show pupils examples of celebrations that use light in Going Further (Pupil’s Book p. 8).
 Ask pupils which celebrations they take part in and how they use lights in their celebrations.
Review (20 minutes)
Resources: Pupil’s Book, p. 9; Teacher’s Guide, p. 11
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2
Go through the questions in Exercise (Pupil’s Book p. 9).
Chapter 1
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Marshall Cavendish Science Stage 2
B
What Is Darkness?
Learning outcome(s):
 Recognise that there is total darkness when there is no light.
Lesson 1 (2 periods; 80 minutes)
Introduction (10 minutes)
 Ask pupils to close their eyes and imagine that it is night and there is no light.
 Ask pupils what it would be like, and whether they would be able to see or read anything.
Exploration (70 minutes)
Resources: Pupil’s Book, pp. 10–11; Teacher’s Guide, pp. 12–13
Materials:
1 cardboard box per group or class, 1 pair of scissors per group or class, 1 small toy per
group or class, 1 roll of sticky tape per group or class, 1 flashlight per group or class
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Let pupils experience a dark room with some light from outside. Ask them whether they can see
anything.
Let pupils experience total darkness. Ask them whether they can still see.
Let pupils do the activity in Try This (Pupil’s Book p. 11).
Cut out the peephole in each cardboard box for pupils.
Let pupils predict whether they will be able to see the toy in the box.
Ask pupils to explain their predictions and observations.
Ask pupils what they can do to see the toy without opening the box.
Let pupils discuss and suggest possible ways.
Ask pupils to note down their suggestions to see if they work in the next lesson.
Lesson 2 (2 periods; 80 minutes)
Exploration (50 minutes)
Resources: Pupil’s Book, p. 11; Activity Book, WS 3, pp. 4–5; Teacher’s Guide, p. 13
Materials:
The box with the toy (constructed by pupils in the previous lesson), 1 flashlight per group
or class
 Let pupils try out their suggestions from the previous lesson to see if they work.
 Let pupils do Worksheet 3 (Activity Book pp. 4–5) to identify places with different brightness.
 Guide pupils to conclude that they need light in order to see.
Explanation (30 minutes)
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Have pupils share whether their suggestions for seeing the toy without opening the box worked.
Ask them to review their results and explain what went well or what went wrong.
Let pupils explain what darkness is and whether they can see without light.
Check that their answers and explanations are scientifically correct and correct them if necessary.
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Light and Dark
3
Marshall Cavendish Science Stage 2
Lesson 3 (1 period; 40 minutes)
Extension (20 minutes)
Resources: Pupil’s Book, p. 12; Teacher’s Guide, p. 14
 Show pupils the picture of the eyeless fish that lives in a dark cave in Going Further (Pupil’s Book
p. 12).
 Discuss with the class why the fish has no need for eyes.
 Tell pupils that the fish uses its other senses to find its way in the dark.
Review (20 minutes)
Resources: Pupil’s Book, pp. 12–13; Teacher’s Guide, pp. 14–15
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4
Go through the questions in Exercise (Pupil’s Book pp. 12–13).
Chapter 1
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Marshall Cavendish Science Stage 2
C
How Are Shadows Formed?
Learning outcome(s):
 Identify shadows.
Lesson 1 (2 periods; 80 minutes)
Introduction (10 minutes)
Resources: Pupil’s Book, p. 14; Teacher’s Guide, p. 16
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Show pupils the picture of some trees and their shadows on Pupil’s Book p. 14.
Ask pupils whether they can see the dark areas in front of the trees. Ask them how the dark areas
are formed.
Exploration (70 minutes)
Resources: Pupil’s Book, pp. 14–15; Activity Book, WS 4, pp. 6–8; Teacher’s Guide, pp. 16–17
Materials:
1 flashlight per pair or class, 1 screen or wall per pair or class
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Introduce pupils to shadows.
Ask pupils to look at the pictures of shadows on the bottom of Pupil’s Book p. 14. Ask them to
identify the things that formed the shadows.
Let pupils cast shadows of their hands on a wall using a flashlight.
Ask pupils to observe whether the shadows of their hands have any colour. Ask them if the
shadows have the same shape and size as their hands.
Ask pupils how they should shine the flashlight so that the shadows of their hands form on the floor
instead of on the screen or wall.
Let pupils identify the pattern that shadows are formed on the opposite side of the light source.
Let pupils do Worksheet 4 (Activity Book pp. 6–8) to predict and observe changes in shadows.
Let pupils make shadows of different animal shapes and sizes with their hands.
Lesson 2 (2 periods; 80 minutes)
Exploration (20 minutes)
Resources: Activity Book, WS 5–6, pp. 9–12
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Let pupils do Worksheet 5 (Activity Book p. 9) to match things with the shadows that they can
form.
 Let pupils do Worksheet 6 (Activity Book pp. 10–12) to infer the positions of the light sources
based on the positions of the shadows.
Explanation (20 minutes)
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Let pupils review what they have learnt about shadows.
Let pupils explain what shadows are, how they are formed and what their characteristics are.
Check that their answers and explanations are scientifically correct and correct them if necessary.
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Light and Dark
5
Marshall Cavendish Science Stage 2
Extension (40 minutes)
Resources: Pupil’s Book, p. 16; Teacher’s Guide, p. 18
Materials:
1 pair of scissors per group, 1 set of coloured markers or pencils per group, sheets of art
and craft paper per group, sticks per group, 1 bottle of glue or 1 roll of sticky tape per
group, 1 flashlight per class, 1 screen or wall per class
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Let pupils work in groups of three or four to do the activity in Try This (Pupil’s Book p. 16).
Lesson 3 (1 period; 40 minutes)
Review (40 minutes)
Resources: Pupil’s Book, p. 17; Activity Book, Let’s Review, p. 13, Reflection, p. 14; Teacher’s
Guide, p. 19; Revision Worksheet 1
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6
Go through the questions in Exercise (Pupil’s Book p. 17).
Let pupils complete the concept map in Let’s Review (Activity Book p. 13).
Let pupils complete the table in Reflection (Activity Book p. 14). Ask them to revise the Pupil’s
Book sections that they do not know well.
Let pupils do Revision Worksheet 1.
Chapter 1
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