Knowledge organiser - Light and Dark NEW - Year 3

The 'Light and Dark' knowledge organiser for Year 3 students, provided by Focus Education (UK) Ltd, serves as a comprehensive guide to understanding the fundamental concepts of light. It introduces key vocabulary such as 'reflection', which is the process by which light bounces off a surface, and 'shadow', a dark shape created when an opaque or translucent object obstructs light. The term 'opaque' is explained as the quality of an object that prevents light from passing through, typically resulting in the formation of a shadow.

The organiser further delves into 'refraction', the bending of light rays when they move between different mediums, such as air and water. Students also learn about 'convex lens' and 'concave lens', which describe lenses that bulge outward and lenses that are thinner at the centre, respectively. The key knowledge section ensures that students understand the importance of light and darkness in daily life, the nature of darkness as the absence of light, and the necessity of light for vision. It highlights that light can be reflected, explains the formation and changing shapes of shadows, and warns of the dangers of looking directly at the Sun. This knowledge organiser sets the foundation for the main learning theme of 'Light and Dark' in the Year 3 science curriculum.