You will learn
- Describe sunny weather.
- Say how the Sun helps living things.
- Say how to stay safe in the sun.
- Explain why we never look at the Sun.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Sunny weather is bright and warm.
- The Sun gives light and heat.
- We wear a hat, drink water and stay in the shade.
- We never look at the Sun.
Words to know
bright with much sunshine
very warm
a cream that protects the skin from the Sun
something worn on the head
1. Discover: The hot day
It is a hot, sunny day. Dayo wears a hat and drinks water. He plays in the shade of a tree. His mother puts cream on his arms. “The Sun is useful,” she says, “but too much can hurt.”
Think: How did Dayo stay safe?
2. Understand: Sunny weather
Idea 1: What sunny weather is like
On a sunny day the sky is bright and clear. We feel warm or hot. Shadows are sharp. Clothes dry quickly and plants grow well.
Idea 2: Why the Sun matters
The Sun gives us light and heat. Plants need sunlight to make food. Without the Sun, Earth would be dark and very cold.
Idea 3: Staying safe
Too much Sun can burn skin. We wear a hat, use sunscreen if an adult says so, drink water and rest in the shade. We never look at the Sun.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Choose clothes
A hot day.
- Light clothes.
- A hat.
- Shade.
Answer: Wear light clothes and a hat.
Example 2 (We do it together): Why the Sun?
Plants in a garden.
- They need light.
- The Sun gives it.
- They make food.
Answer: Plants need the Sun to make food.
Example 3 (You try): Safe play
Playing at noon.
Show the steps and answer
- It is hottest.
- Find shade.
- Drink water.
Answer: Play in the shade and drink water at noon.
Did you know?
Sunlight takes about eight minutes to reach the Earth from the Sun.
Why this matters
Sunny weather is useful but we must protect our skin and eyes.
4. Explore: Sun safety plan
Make a sun safety poster.
- List three things to wear.
- List what to drink.
- Draw the shade.
- Write one rule about the Sun.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? We need to protect ourselves.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- A sunny day is ___.
- We wear a ___.
- We drink ___.
- We never look at the ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. Is sunny weather bright or dark?
Bright.
Question 2. What does the Sun give?
Light and heat.
Question 3. What do we wear on a sunny day?
A hat.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Is sunny weather bright or dark?
- What does the Sun give?
- What do we wear on a sunny day?
- What do we drink?
- Do we look at the Sun?
Level 2: Grow
- Why do plants need the Sun?
- Where do we play at noon?
- What is sunscreen for?
Level 3: Stretch
- Explain how to stay safe in the sun.
- Compare sunny and rainy days.
- Make a sun safety poster.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Science in everyday life
How do people stay cool near you?
Show a sample answer
Shade, water and light clothes.
Another one. Tell a family member one thing from this lesson. Use the words you learned.
Show a sample answer
A clear sentence that uses at least one word from Words to know.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: The Sun is strongest at midday.
Fix: Never look at the Sun.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can describe sunny weather.
- I can say how the Sun helps living things.
- I can say how to stay safe in the sun.
- I can explain why we never look at the Sun.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Sunny weather is bright and warm.
- The Sun gives light and heat.
- We wear a hat, drink water and stay in the shade.
- We never look at the Sun.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Rainy weather. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- What does the Sun give us? [2 marks]
- Give three sun safety rules. [3 marks]
- Why do plants need the Sun? [2 marks]
- Why do we never look at the Sun? [2 marks]
- Describe a sunny day. [2 marks]
Total: 11 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Light [1]; heat [1]
- Any three [1 each]
- To make food [1]; they use sunlight [1]
- Hurts eyes [1]; too bright [1]
- Bright [1]; warm or hot [1]
Score guide: 10 to 11 = secure. 7 to 9 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 7 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- Is sunny weather bright or dark?
- What does the Sun give?
- What do we wear on a sunny day?
- What do we drink?
- Do we look at the Sun?
- Why do plants need the Sun?
- Where do we play at noon?
- What is sunscreen for?
- Explain how to stay safe in the sun.
- Compare sunny and rainy days.
Homework
Make a sun safety poster. Show three ways to stay safe.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Is sunny weather bright or dark? | Bright. | 1 |
| 2. What does the Sun give? | Light and heat. | 1 |
| 3. What do we wear on a sunny day? | A hat. | 1 |
| 4. What do we drink? | Water. | 1 |
| 5. Do we look at the Sun? | Never. | 1 |
| 6. Why do plants need the Sun? | To make food. | 1 |
| 7. Where do we play at noon? | In the shade. | 1 |
| 8. What is sunscreen for? | To protect skin. | 1 |
| 9. Explain how to stay safe in the sun. | Hat, water, shade. | 1 |
| 10. Compare sunny and rainy days. | Sunny is bright; rainy is wet. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Bright.; 2 Light and heat.; 3 A hat.; 4 Water.; 5 Never.. Level 2: 1 To make food.; 2 In the shade.; 3 To protect skin.. Level 3: 1 Hat, water, shade.; 2 Sunny is bright; rainy is wet.; 3 Three rules..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Describe sunny weather | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Say how the Sun helps living things | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Say how to stay safe in the sun | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Explain why we never look at the Sun | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “The Sun is only dangerous at night.” The Sun is strongest at midday.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Say three sun safety rules.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns about sunny weather and how to stay safe in the sun. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Make sure your child wears a hat.
- Ask, “Where do we play at noon?”
- Never look at the Sun.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: describe sunny weather; say how the Sun helps living things; say how to stay safe in the sun; explain why we never look at the Sun.
Prerequisite knowledge. None. Learners should be able to look, listen and talk about what they notice.
Materials. A hat, a bottle of water, chart paper, crayons and pictures of sunny days. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Prepare examples of hats. Choose a shaded area for the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Ask, “How does a sunny day feel?”
Explanation (10 min). Teach sunny weather and sun safety.
Guided activity (10 min). Learners make posters.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners role-play staying safe.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. How do I stay safe in the sun?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with real objects and safe, hands-on observation. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always say “how do you know?”. Keep to the safety notes, and use local, safe materials.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use real objects and pictures, short sentences and a partner. Let learners point, show or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example at home and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “The Sun is only dangerous at night.” The Sun is strongest at midday.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 11-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Say three sun safety rules. Enrichment. Look for one new example near your home or school, draw it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Next Generation Science Standards, Cambridge Primary Science and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Science curriculum, Grade 1 Unit 9, topic 2; Next Generation Science Standards, Earth’s place in the universe and Earth’s systems (weather and the sky); Cambridge Primary Science Stage 1, Earth and space; IB Primary Years Programme, sharing the planet. These sources informed the lesson.