Science Vocabulary for 1st Grade
37 terms
JamWise Education Team·Updated March 2026
In 1st grade, students in the early elementary (K-2) band encounter 37 essential science vocabulary terms. These words form the foundation for classroom discussions, reading comprehension, written assignments, and standardized assessments. Mastering this vocabulary gives students the language they need to express their understanding with clarity and confidence.
Below you will find every science term for 1st grade, organized by topic where applicable. Each term links to a detailed definition page with grade-level explanations, related vocabulary, and connections to JamWise learning resources.
earth-science
View topic hubDesert
A desert is a dry place that gets very little rain. Deserts can be hot or cold.
Forest
A forest is a large area of land covered with many trees.
Lake
A lake is a large body of water surrounded by land on all sides.
Moon
The moon is a large round object in the sky that shines at night using light from the sun.
Ocean
An ocean is a huge body of salt water that covers most of Earth.
Pond
A pond is a small, still body of fresh water where many plants and animals live.
River
A river is a large stream of water that flows across the land toward an ocean or lake.
Rock
A rock is a hard, solid piece of earth. Rocks come in many shapes, sizes, and colors.
Season
A season is one of four times of the year — spring, summer, fall, and winter — each with different weather.
Soil
Soil is the dirt on the ground where plants grow. It is made of tiny bits of rock and dead plants.
Star
A star is a ball of hot, glowing gas far away in space. The sun is our closest star.
Sunrise
Sunrise is when the sun comes up in the morning and the sky gets bright.
Sunset
Sunset is when the sun goes down in the evening and the sky turns colorful.
Water
Water is a clear liquid that all living things need. It fills oceans, rivers, and lakes.
Weather tools
Weather tools help us measure weather, like a thermometer for temperature, a rain gauge for rain, and a wind sock for wind direction.
life-science
View topic hubAmphibian
An amphibian is an animal that can live in water and on land. Frogs are amphibians.
Bird
A bird is an animal with feathers, wings, and a beak. Most birds can fly.
Fish
A fish is an animal that lives in water and breathes through gills.
Insect
An insect is a small animal with six legs and three body parts.
Leaf
A leaf is the part of a plant that catches sunlight to make food.
Mammal
A mammal is an animal with fur or hair that feeds milk to its babies.
Nest
A nest is a home that birds build to lay their eggs and raise their babies.
Organism
An organism is any living thing — a plant, an animal, or even a tiny germ.
Reptile
A reptile is an animal with dry, scaly skin. Snakes, lizards, and turtles are reptiles.
Root
A root is the part of a plant that grows underground and soaks up water.
Seed
A seed is a tiny part of a plant that can grow into a new plant.
Shelter
A shelter is a place where an animal lives to stay safe from weather and predators.
Stem
A stem holds up a plant and carries water from the roots to the leaves.
physical-science
View topic hubForce
A force is a push or a pull that can make something move, stop, or change direction.
Gas
A gas is matter that spreads out to fill any space. Air is a gas you cannot see.
Gravity
Gravity is an invisible force that pulls everything down toward the ground.
Magnet
A magnet is an object that can pull certain metals toward it.
Material
A material is what something is made of, like wood, metal, plastic, or cloth.
Properties
Properties are the things you can observe about an object, like its color, shape, size, and texture.
Reflect
To reflect means to bounce light off a surface. A mirror reflects light.
Shadow
A shadow is a dark shape made when an object blocks light.