NGSS Grade 1 Science Printables

First grade science printables aligned to NGSS.

Browse by domain

Physical Science

4 standards

1-PS4-1Vibrations Make SoundPlan and conduct investigations to provide evidence that vibrating materials can make sound and that sound can make materials vibrate.See printables →1-PS4-2Objects Seen When IlluminatedMake observations to construct an evidence-based account that objects can be seen only when illuminated.See printables →1-PS4-3Light and MaterialsPlan and conduct an investigation to determine the effect of placing objects made with different materials in the path of a beam of light.See printables →1-PS4-4Communicate With Light or SoundUse tools and materials to design and build a device that uses light or sound to solve the problem of communicating over a distance.See printables →

Life Science

3 standards

1-LS1-1Mimic Plant & Animal PartsUse materials to design a solution to a human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use their external parts to help them survive, grow, and meet their needs.See printables →1-LS1-2Parents and Offspring BehaviorRead texts and use media to determine patterns in behavior of parents and offspring that help offspring survive.See printables →1-LS3-1Young Resemble Their ParentsMake observations to construct an evidence-based account that young plants and animals are like, but not exactly like, their parents.See printables →

Earth & Space Science

2 standards

1-ESS1-1Patterns of Sun, Moon & StarsUse observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted.See printables →1-ESS1-2Daylight Through the YearMake observations at different times of year to relate the amount of daylight to the time of year.See printables →

In first grade, science starts solving problems

First grade keeps kindergarten’s wonder but adds a new twist: solving problems. Kids design a way to signal across a distance with light or sound, build a little “tool” inspired by how an animal survives, and notice patterns in plants, the sky, and families. It still looks like play and tinkering, not textbooks — and that hands-on problem-solving is exactly the point.

First grade science questions, answered

What will my first grader learn in science this year?

A lot, and all of it hands-on: light and sound (how we see, and how sound comes from things vibrating), how plants and animals use their parts to survive, how baby plants and animals are like — but not exactly like — their parents, and patterns in the sky. Expect plenty of observing, comparing, and building simple solutions.

Why is there “engineering” and designing in first grade science?

It surprises a lot of parents, but engineering here just means solving a problem with a hands-on build — like designing a way to send a signal with light or sound, or making a tool inspired by how an animal’s body works. It’s not robotics; it’s tinkering with a purpose, and it teaches kids to test their ideas and improve them.

My first grader mostly tinkers and observes — is that really science?

It really is, and it’s exactly right for this age. First graders learn by doing: noticing patterns, making predictions, building and testing. The content sticks because they discovered it, not because they memorized it — so if they’re curious, comparing, and figuring things out, the learning is happening.

How can I help my first grader with science at home?

Turn your house into the lab: float and sink things in the bath, watch a puddle shrink on a sunny day, grow a plant on the windowsill, make shadows with a flashlight, notice how a rubber band buzzes. Follow their questions and investigate together instead of handing over answers — the figuring-out is the science.

My child asks “why” about everything — how do I answer when I don’t know?

Honestly, “I don’t know — let’s find out together!” is a perfect answer, often a better one than a fact. You don’t have to be the expert; modeling curiosity — looking it up, testing it, observing — teaches more than the answer itself. Wondering right alongside your child is exactly what good science looks like.