Chapter 4

Agents in Among Us

Lesson Overview

Title: Among Us: Agents of Light and Sound
Subject: Science
Age Group(s): First Grade (Ages 6–7)
Tags: Light, Sound, Communication, Opaque, Illumination, Gamification, Problem-Solving

Description:
This lesson uses gameplay from the popular game Among Us as a phenomenon to explore the properties of light and sound. Students will observe how characters in the game can only see when areas are lit, how walls block sight, and how players use alerts and communication to solve problems. These observations will serve as a basis for hands-on investigations into light and sound.

Lesson Plan

📋 Find the full lesson plan on the companion GameClass lesson — link at the bottom of this page!

Lesson Content

I. Key Teaching Points

  • Point 1: We need light to see things, just like the characters in the game can only see what is in their lit field of vision.
  • Point 2: Solid objects like walls and boxes are "opaque" because they block light, which is why we can't see what's behind them.
  • Point 3: Sounds and visual alerts, like the "Report" button in the game, are important tools used to communicate messages over a distance and help solve problems.

II. Practical Examples

For Teaching Point 1:
In the video, the player's view is limited to a cone of light around their character. The teacher can pause the video at any point (e.g., 0:01) and ask, "Can the player see what is in the bottom left corner of the room? Why not?" This leads to the conclusion that the dark areas are not illuminated, so they cannot be seen, directly supporting standard 1-PS4-2.

For Teaching Point 2:
At 0:02, the player character stands in a hallway and cannot see the group of players in the "Admin" room until they physically move into that room. The teacher can ask, "What is stopping the player from seeing into the next room?" The wall is acting as an opaque barrier, blocking their line of sight because it blocks light. The green boxes in the starting area also serve as clear examples of opaque objects. This demonstrates standard 1-PS4-3.

For Teaching Point 3:
The climax of the clip begins at 0:07 when a body is found and the "DEAD BODY REPORTED" screen flashes. This is a perfect example for standard 1-PS4-4. The teacher can explain, "This big, flashing sign is a visual signal. It's like a fire alarm, but for the game. It sends a message to every single player, no matter where they are on the ship, telling them to stop and meet." This visual alert, followed by the players communicating in the chat, shows how a system using light (the screen) and organized information is used to solve the problem of finding the secret player. This also connects to standard 1-PS4-1, as the alert would have an accompanying sound effect made by the device's vibrating speakers.

📺 This lesson has a companion GameClass video. Head over to the GameClass lesson to watch the clip and access the beautifully formatted, printer-friendly version of this handbook — available to subscribers!

End of Lesson