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How could you send a secret message to someone far away?
Lights & Sounds Unit | Lesson 5 of 6
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How could you send a secret message to someone far away?

Lights & Sounds Unit | Lesson 5 of 6
Lesson narration:
English Spanish
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Can`you`think`of`a
way`to`communicate
YES`or`NO`to
someone`using`only
a`light?

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light


1 of 4

what comes from the Sun and lamps and makes it possible to see things
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sound


2 of 4

vibrations that you can usually hear with your ears
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communicate


3 of 4

to give and get information
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invent


4 of 4

to create something new, often an object or a way of doing something
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Lesson narration:
English Spanish

Grade 1

Light, Sound, & Communication

Light, Communication, & Engineering

1-PS4-4, K-2-ETS1-2

Activity Prep

Print Prep
In this lesson, students practice using light to communicate information. In the activity, Secret Signals, students work in pairs to build a device that solves the problem of communicating over a distance. They send secret messages to one another using light and colored markers.
Preview activity
Number of students:

I have a Mystery Pack

Color Codes printout Print 30 copies
Markers
Preferably 1 red, 1 blue, and 1 green. You can use three other colors, but make sure they are very different from one another. Similar colors (red, pink, and orange) can lead to confusion.
Details
45 markers
LED Flashlights
30 flashlights
Prep Instructions

Make sure you have enough space. Pairs of students will need to be at least 5 or 6 feet apart, and have a clear line of sight to each other. Homeschool students working alone will need a partner to do this activity.

You will need to do this activity in the dark with the lights off and curtains drawn.

Classroom Management Tip

Flashlights are very fun, but can be very distracting! We suggest waiting to distribute flashlights to students until Step 6 of the activity.

Exploration

17 mins

Hands-On Activity

25 mins

Wrap-Up

3 mins

Grade 1

Light, Sound, & Communication

Light, Communication, & Engineering

1-PS4-4, K-2-ETS1-2

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