Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Mission Light Check: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 3
- ForYear 3
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Mission Light Check is a free printable science worksheet for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8). Children help a space crew get ready for launch by completing a set of light tasks. They think about light sources, reflection and shadows. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help ideas, a stretch idea and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children start with a matching task, then answer a quiz with three choices for each question, then finish with two written answers. The theme is a space crew getting ready for launch. Questions cover light sources, reflection and shadows. Children pick the choice that fits and explain their ideas in their own words. Some questions look at light around us, and some look at light in space.
- A shadow forms when an object blocks what?
- Which material lets light pass through clearly for a helmet visor?
- What should you never look at directly?
- Name one light source on Earth and one in space.
- How can you make a shadow bigger with a torch?
Why teach light with a space mission?
Light is part of Year 3 science in England, and it is a topic children can test for themselves. A torch, a toy and a wall are enough to try out ideas. A space mission gives the facts a purpose. A crew needs to see, needs to be safe and needs to understand what light does before the countdown begins.
Many children mix up things that make light with things that only look bright. The sheet gives them a chance to sort these ideas out. Reflection is a good example. We see many objects because light bounces off them and reaches our eyes. Talking about where light comes from, and where it goes, builds clear scientific thinking.
Adults should set up any torch tests. Never shine a torch into anyone's eyes. Use a small battery torch, and leave lamps and anything that gets hot to an adult.
Light facts for young scientists
- Light travels faster than anything else we know of.
- A mirror gives a clear reflection because its surface is very smooth and shiny.
- Space has no air, but light can still travel through it.
- White light is a mix of colours. A rainbow lets us see them.
Skills and curriculum link
- Light sources
- Reflection
- Shadows
- Scientific vocabulary
- Explaining ideas in writing
- Choosing between answers
Ideas to help your child with the science
- Test itUse a torch and a small toy in a dim room. Let your child move things and watch what changes. Seeing it happen makes the words easier to remember.
- Sort itMake two piles of everyday objects. One pile is things that make their own light. The other is things that do not. Talk about why each one belongs.
- Look aroundOn a walk or at home, spot shiny surfaces, such as a spoon, a window or a puddle. Ask your child what they notice about the light.
- Say it aloudBefore writing, ask your child to explain their idea in one sentence. Then write it down. Clear speaking leads to clearer writing.
Key words
- Light sourceSomething that gives out its own light.
- ReflectTo bounce off a surface. Light can reflect off many things.
- ShadowA dark shape on a surface. It has the same outline as the object that makes it.
- BeamA narrow line of light, like the one from a torch.
- Mission ControlThe team on the ground who help a space crew.
- LaunchThe moment a rocket lifts off to begin its journey.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read the instructions together. Remind your child that the theme is a crew getting ready for launch.
- Start with the matching task. Then move on to the quiz. Finish with the two written answers.
- Talk about each choice on the first go. Ask, "Why do you think that?" before checking.
- Check against page 2. Come back another day to retry anything that felt tricky.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Let your child test a torch and a toy in a dim room before writing. Move the toy and the torch, and watch what happens. Say what they see out loud first. Then go back to the sheet, one question at a time.
To stretch confident children
Ask why the Moon looks bright even though it makes no light. Ask your child to explain it in two or three sentences. They could draw a diagram with arrows to show where the light travels.
Make it a game
Pretend to be Mission Control. Call out a light fact. The crew gives a thumbs up if it is true and a thumbs down if it is not. Take turns to be the controller and make up new facts.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child thinks a shiny object, such as a mirror, makes its own light.
Try thisAsk where the light comes from. A mirror only shows light that reaches it from somewhere else. Compare it with a torch.
Watch forA child thinks a shadow has its own colour or is a separate thing.
Try thisTrace a shadow with chalk or pencil. Then move the torch and trace it again. Talk about what changed and what stayed the same.
Watch forA child answers only one part of a question that asks for two things.
Try thisUnderline each part of the question before writing. Then tick each part off once it has been answered.
Talk about it
- Where does the light in your room come from right now?
- What would a space crew find hard if there was no light?
- Why do you think we need a torch in a dark place?
- What happens to a shadow when you move the object?
- Can you think of something shiny that is not a light source?
- What was the trickiest question, and how did you work it out?
Take it off the page
Shadow puppets
Use a torch and your hands to make animal shadows on a wall. Try different shapes and see how the shadow changes. An adult should set up the torch.
Shadow trace
Place a toy on paper in a sunny spot or beside a torch. Trace its shadow, then look again later or move the light and trace again.
Light hunt
Walk around the house and list things that give out light. Then list shiny things that only reflect it. Compare lists with a grown-up.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first go and let them lead. Use the torch test if they get stuck. Praise clear thinking as well as right answers, and keep sessions short and relaxed.
Teachers
Use it as a starter or plenary in a light unit, or as an early finisher or supply task. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Pair it with a simple torch and shadow experiment, a library book on space and some outdoor looking. It is free to print again for brothers and sisters, or for revision a few weeks later.
Where this fits in science
Before this, children notice everyday objects and the materials they are made from. They begin to describe what things are like and how they behave. These ideas help when they think about which materials let light through.
Light comes back in the National Curriculum for England in Year 6, where children build on what they learned in Year 3. Clear ideas about light sources, reflection and shadows now make that later work easier.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Mission Light Check for?
It is written for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8), in Key Stage 2. Younger children may enjoy it with an adult, and older children can use it as a quick recap of light ideas.
- What will children practise?
Children practise recognising light sources, reflection and shadows in science. The space mission theme gives each task a clear purpose. They also practise choosing answers and explaining their ideas in writing.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or revision, and share the page with other parents and teachers.
- How do I use it with my child?
Print both pages and give page 1 to your child. Do the matching first, then the quiz, then the two written answers. Work through it together the first time and check with page 2 afterwards.
- What if my child finds it too hard?
Let them test a torch and a toy to see shadows before writing. Moving things and watching the result makes the ideas easier to grasp. Then try the questions again one at a time.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it works well for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays. Screen free learning gives eyes a rest and gets children talking and thinking.
- Can teachers and home educators use it?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. Home educators and tutors can use it alone or as part of a wider science plan.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.