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New Hampshire Grade 1 Science
Explore New Hampshire Grade 1 science with a light investigation, worked observations, selected NGSS references, related lessons and independent quizzes.
Focused lessons · Useful practice · Clear next steps
Standards source: New Hampshire school-approval rules, Ed 306.36.
Compare what different materials do to a light beam
Explore New Hampshire Grade 1 science with a light investigation, worked observations, selected NGSS references, related lessons and independent quizzes.
New Hampshire’s current school-approval rules, Ed 306.36, require local science competencies and curricula aligned with the 2017 Next Generation Science Standards. The selected references here were checked in the original publisher’s Next Generation Science Standards, September 2017 DCI arrangements. Read the complete performance expectations, clarifications, assessment boundaries, practices, core ideas, and crosscutting concepts with the school’s course plan. This activity selects a Grade 1 expectation. It is one part of a science course, not a complete curriculum.
Compare what different materials do to a light beam
An adult shines an ordinary classroom flashlight toward a wall and places one sample at a time between them: clear plastic, wax paper, or cardboard. Keep the flashlight, sample position, and wall distance alike. The invented record below illustrates possible observations; replace it with what you actually observe in a supervised classroom comparison. Do not shine the light toward anyone’s eyes.
Explain the evidence or model
The clear sample lets much of the light pass, leaving a bright area on the wall. The wax paper lets some light through and spreads it, making a less distinct lit area. Cardboard blocks the direct beam and makes a shadow behind it. These differences support describing the particular samples as transparent, translucent, or opaque. A response should connect each label to a recorded observation rather than choosing from the sample’s color alone. Compare the same part of the wall and record the room’s lighting as well. The samples can differ in more ways than one, so this task compares their overall behavior rather than isolating a single material property.
| Sample | Wall observation |
|---|---|
| Clear plastic | Bright area remains |
| Wax paper | Less distinct lit area |
| Cardboard | Shadow behind sample |
What to check in the explanation
An invented table is not evidence that the child conducted an investigation. A shadow also does not mean all light in the room disappears: light may reach the wall from elsewhere. Do not claim that every plastic sheet behaves like this clear sample. The selected expectation concerns comparing materials in the beam path; it excludes calculating the speed of light.
Plan the next activity
- Predict and draw the beam path before testing.
- Keep positions alike and observe each actual sample.
- Explain one comparison using the recorded lit area or shadow.
Compare two teacher-approved sheets that look similar but transmit light differently. Record which observations change and which setup conditions remain alike. Add a labeled drawing that shows the source, sample, and wall.
Grade 1 Science: Learn, Practice, and Quiz
Read a short lesson, work through its example, and try a related science-area quiz. States organize these ideas differently; use your state standards to choose what matches your class.
Physical Science
Life Science
Earth & Space
New Hampshire Science by Grade
Browse New Hampshire science pages by grade.
Start With a Practice Test
These independently published practice sets open on this page. Check their directions and topic coverage alongside current New Hampshire assessment guidance. Use their feedback alongside classroom work; they are not official New Hampshire assessments or a certified match to the full course.
New Hampshire Grade 1 Science Practice Test 1
Start here. A first look across a range of science ideas.
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New Hampshire Grade 1 Science Practice Test 2
Another full set across a range of science ideas.
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New Hampshire Grade 1 Science Practice Test 3
Another full set across a range of science ideas.
Start test 3 →
New Hampshire Grade 1 Science Practice Test 4
Another full set across a range of science ideas.
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New Hampshire Grade 1 Science Practice Test 5
Another full set across a range of science ideas.
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New Hampshire Grade 1 Science Practice Test 6
Another full set across a range of science ideas.
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Grade 1 Science Skill Quizzes
Choose a science-area quiz after studying its related lesson. These independent resources may include topics beyond this grade’s expectations; use the 2017 NGSS document and the school’s course plan to select suitable practice.
Sound and Vibrations
A short check on sound and vibrations, with feedback to review after answering.
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Light, Seeing, and Shadows
A short check on light, seeing objects, and shadows, with feedback to review after answering.
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Communicating with Light and Sound
A short check on using light or sound to send a message, with feedback to review after answering.
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Plant and Animal Parts
A short check on the parts that help plants and animals survive, with feedback to review after answering.
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Parents, Offspring, and Growing Up
A short check on how young plants and animals grow and resemble their parents, with feedback to review after answering.
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Patterns in the Sky
A short check on the patterns of the sun, moon, and stars, with feedback to review after answering.
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Daylight Through the Year
A short check on how daylight changes with the seasons, with feedback to review after answering.
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Grade 1 Science Study Tools
A few minutes of review between practice tests, easy enough to do together. Both open right here.
Grade 1 Science Flashcards
Review terms in this independently published deck. Use the classroom’s vocabulary and reading level to decide which entries need practice.
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Grade 1 Science Quick Review
Use this concise review alongside observations, lessons, and the complete NGSS science document. Add course topics that need further explanation.
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New Hampshire Grade 1 Science Topics
Use these brief labels as a study navigator, not as full standards or a certified alignment map. Use the selected NGSS Grade 1 expectations to check which details and boundaries apply. Read the complete NGSS science document for official requirements.
Physical Science
- Sound and Vibrations
- Light and Seeing Objects
- Light Through Materials
- Sending Messages with Light and Sound
Life Science
- Learning from Plant and Animal Parts
- Parents and Their Young
- Similarities Between Young Organisms and Parents
Earth and Space Science
- Patterns in the Sky
- Daylight Through the Seasons
Engineering design: check grade-band expectations
- Questions About a Design Problem
- Sketches and Models of Solutions
- Comparing and Improving Designs
New Hampshire Grade 1 references for this investigation
These selected references support the activity’s focus. Read the complete NGSS expectation in the publisher’s document, including clarification statements, assessment boundaries, and supporting dimensions, alongside the school’s course sequence. Check the school’s course plan for the rest of the year’s topics.
| Reference | Selected focus | Publisher’s document |
|---|---|---|
| 1-PS4-3 | Light and material investigations | Read page 11 |
New Hampshire Grade 1: Math and English Too
Science is part of the New Hampshire grade 1 subject collection. Use the related subject pages to organize cross-subject study.
New Hampshire Grade 1 Math
Six full practice tests, printable worksheets, step-by-step lessons, and New Hampshire Grade 1 math resources.
Open the math center →New Hampshire Grade 1 English
Reading, writing, and language standards for New Hampshire grade 1, organized with selected activities and references.
Open the English center →New Hampshire Grade 1 Science: useful planning questions
How does Grade 1 connect to New Hampshire’s science assessment?
Grade 1 is not a general NH SAS science assessment grade listed in the reviewed manual. The 2025–2026 public manual identifies science in Grade 5, Grade 8, and the third year of high school. Grade 5 covers Grades 3–5 content and Grade 8 covers Grades 6–8 content. Science learning continues in other grades. Confirm the school’s assigned pathway and current administration directions, including any alternate assessment requirements. The reviewed edition is 2025–2026; confirm later-year directions with the school. Independent practice has its own timing, topics, and scoring and does not predict a state performance level. Read the official guidance.
Does an opaque sample make the entire room dark?
No. It blocks the direct beam in the selected path. Other light can still reach the room or wall.
Where should I check the complete science requirements?
Read New Hampshire’s school-approval rules, Ed 306.36, and the original publisher’s 2017 NGSS document. Read the Grade 1 expectations and their supporting information alongside the school’s curriculum plan. Use the full requirements and the school’s plan to choose the rest of the course. Read the official guidance.
State sources checked October 6, 2026. Read the NH SAS students and families portal for later guidance.
Grade 1 Science in Other States
Standards, practice tests, and quizzes for grade 1 science in every state and Washington, D.C.
Choose useful science practice
Match the available task to the unit being taught. Discuss the evidence and explanation alongside classroom work; an independent practice score does not establish complete course coverage or state-assessment readiness.
Start a practice testA USEFUL NEXT STEP
New Hampshire Grade 1 Science: study questions
How does Grade 1 connect to New Hampshire’s science assessment?
Grade 1 is not a general NH SAS science assessment grade listed in the reviewed manual. The 2025–2026 public manual identifies science in Grade 5, Grade 8, and the third year of high school. Grade 5 covers Grades 3–5 content and Grade 8 covers Grades 6–8 content. Science learning continues in other grades. Confirm the school’s assigned pathway and current administration directions, including any alternate assessment requirements. The reviewed edition is 2025–2026; confirm later-year directions with the school. Independent practice has its own timing, topics, and scoring and does not predict a state performance level.
Official source ↗Does an opaque sample make the entire room dark?
No. It blocks the direct beam in the selected path. Other light can still reach the room or wall.
Where should I check the complete science requirements?
Read New Hampshire’s school-approval rules, Ed 306.36, and the original publisher’s 2017 NGSS document. Read the Grade 1 expectations and their supporting information alongside the school’s curriculum plan. Use the full requirements and the school’s plan to choose the rest of the course.
Official source ↗Resources from Effortless Math · Editorial standards · Test details checked October 5, 2026