Year 3 Light Science | Complete 6-Lesson Story-Led Unit + PowerPoints & Resources
A complete six-lesson Year 3 Light science unit taught through an original continuing story, I Am Light. Each episode ends with a scientific problem that pupils investigate before returning to the story with the evidence needed to solve it.
Rather than using a story simply as a lesson hook, this unit uses narrative as the thread running through the whole sequence. Light narrates its own journey through human history: from a dark prehistoric cave, through early reflections and mirrors, aboard a sailing ship, into shadow theatre and finally back to a modern child’s investigation.
The science pupils carry out is needed to understand what happens next in the story.
The six lessons are:
1. Into the Dark
Why do we need light to see? Pupils investigate seeing objects with different amounts of light and learn that darkness is the absence of light.
2. The Light That Came Back
Which surfaces reflect light best? Pupils carry out a comparative test of reflective materials.
3. Around the Corner
Can reflected light be directed? Pupils use mirrors to solve a practical problem and investigate how changing a mirror’s angle changes the direction of reflected light.
4. Too Bright
Why can sunlight be dangerous? Pupils learn about the Sun as a powerful light source and ways to protect their eyes.
5. The Shape Behind the Shape
How are shadows formed? Pupils investigate opaque, translucent and transparent materials and explore how blocking light produces shadows.
6. The Giant on the Wall
What changes the size of a shadow? Pupils investigate the positions of the light source, object and screen before using their findings to solve the final story problem.
Each lesson includes:
retrieval of prior learning
the full illustrated story episode
learning objective and success criteria
key vocabulary
prediction
practical scientific enquiry
I Do / We Do / You Do modelling
recording opportunities
Working Scientifically
misconception checks
hinge questions
evidence-based conclusions
challenge
exit assessment
The download contains:
six editable PowerPoint lesson presentations
full I Am Light story text embedded within the lessons
29-page A4 printable resource pack
editable Word version and print-ready PDF
investigation and recording sheets
Working Wall vocabulary cards
semantic gradients
support scaffolds
practical challenge resources
end-of-unit assessment and teacher answers
teacher guide and equipment overview
