Reflecting Light
Notice that light is reflected from surfaces, and that shiny smooth surfaces reflect light best
How to tell they’ve got it
Tick these off as you see them — no test required.
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Try this together
Can your child explain why they can see themselves in a mirror or a shiny spoon, and why a rough wall doesn't reflect light the same way?
Where this sits on the map
Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.
Builds on
Light & Seeing in the Darkages 6–8Must understand light illuminates objects before learning about reflection
Light & Sound Vocabularyages 6–8Noticing that light is reflected from surfaces requires 'reflect' vocabulary
Reflecting Lightthis skill · ages 7–8
Unlocks
How We See Objectsages 9–11Must know light reflects off surfaces before modelling reflection-to-eye vision
Reflection & Refractionages 11–12Earlier work on light reflecting from surfaces provides the experiential grounding for formal reflection laws
solid = must come firstdashed = helps
Curriculum alignment
Candidate matches to official curriculum codes — machine-suggested, unreviewed (v0.1).
This skill sits outside the F–6 Australian Curriculum — no candidate code matched (v0.1). No NSW K–6 outcome code matched (v0.1). No Victorian Curriculum 2.0 code matched (v0.1).