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Through, Dimly, or Not at All is a free printable Grade 1 science worksheet on what different materials do to a beam of light, aligned to NGSS performance expectation 1-PS4-3. It prints 3 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 1 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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One paper per student

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All 25 sets ask different questions.

Through, Dimly, or Not at All

1-PS4-3

NameDate

Sort each material into what it does to light.

1.Sort each one: Light goes straight through or Only a dim glow gets through or No light gets through?

Sort: A clear bottle, Tracing paper, A wooden door

Light goes straight throughOnly a dim glow gets throughNo light gets through
2.Sort each one: Light goes straight through or Only a dim glow gets through or No light gets through?

Sort: Clean water in a glass, A thick book, Tissue paper

Light goes straight throughOnly a dim glow gets throughNo light gets through
3.Sort each one: Light goes straight through or Only a dim glow gets through or No light gets through?

Sort: A thin white curtain, Thick cardboard, Clear plastic sheet

Light goes straight throughOnly a dim glow gets throughNo light gets through

LessonPrint · 1-PS4-3 · Set 1 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Through, Dimly, or Not at All

Set 1. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. A clear bottle — Light goes straight through 2. A wooden door — No light gets through 3. Tracing paper — Only a dim glow gets through
  2. 2.1. A thick book — No light gets through 2. Clean water in a glass — Light goes straight through 3. Tissue paper — Only a dim glow gets through
  3. 3.1. A thin white curtain — Only a dim glow gets through 2. Clear plastic sheet — Light goes straight through 3. Thick cardboard — No light gets through

Questions about Through, Dimly, or Not at All

What does the Through, Dimly, or Not at All worksheet cover?

It practices what different materials do to a beam of light — 3 questions for Grade 1, all on NGSS 1-PS4-3: Test what different materials do to a beam of light. The instruction to students is “Sort each material into what it does to light”, and the answer key follows on the next sheet.

Which NGSS performance expectation does Through, Dimly, or Not at All practice?

1-PS4-3, under Physical Science for Grade 1. The published performance expectation reads: “Plan and conduct an investigation to determine the effect of placing objects made with different materials in the path of a beam of light.” The worksheet assesses that performance expectation rather than a paraphrase of it.

What age or grade is this worksheet for?

Through, Dimly, or Not at All is written for Grade 1, typically ages 6-7. It is one of the sheets on 1-PS4-3, so it suits any student working at that standard — including older students revisiting it and younger ones working ahead.

Does Through, Dimly, or Not at All come with an answer key?

Yes. All 3 answers are generated from the same problems as the questions, so the key cannot drift out of step with the sheet. It starts on a fresh sheet of paper, after the questions, so it is not handed out with the class by accident.

How many different versions of Through, Dimly, or Not at All can I print?

25 — one per student, and all 25 ask different questions. Set 1 downloads the whole class as a single PDF. Every version is fixed to its own address, so a sheet printed today holds the same problems when you reopen it next week.

Is Through, Dimly, or Not at All free to print and photocopy?

Yes. Through, Dimly, or Not at All, its answer key and its 25 versions are free to print and photocopy for your own class, with no account, no email capture and no subscription at the download step. Please do not resell them or republish them as your own.

Is there a lesson plan to teach 1-PS4-3?

Yes — “Through, Dimly, or Not at All” is a 50-minute Grade 1 plan for 1-PS4-3, timed section by section, with the misconceptions to expect and an exit ticket. Through, Dimly, or Not at All is the practice that follows it.

More practice for 1-PS4-3

Test what different materials do to a beam of light.

Teaching this next? Through, Dimly, or Not at All is the 50-minute plan for it, with the misconceptions to expect.

All Grade 1 worksheets

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to 1-PS4-3 of the Next Generation Science Standards.