Light Teacher Resources

The conversion of sound into light is a fascinating phenomenon that is a side effect of pistol and mantis shrimp stunning their prey. It is known as sonoluminescence, and it is thoroughly delineated in this fascinating little video. Add...

Turning on a tap light requires just a tap, but breaking it apart requires a bit more work. Viewers watch as the narrator breaks a tap light apart into its component parts. The video explains the purpose of each part and how the tap...

The final lesson in a series on theatre design spotlights how lighting is incorporated into a production. After watching videos that focus on lighting fixtures and their positioning, individuals create a basic design plan for a scene,...

Third graders learn how light bulbs are different and which are more cost efficient.  In this energy and efficiency lesson plan, 3rd graders compare the cost of a light bulb and understand that its lifetime is important to their...

A beam of laser light is sent to a satellite from a transmitter and travels 40,000 km. Elapsed time is recorded. This is all done to prove that the speed of light is 300,000 km/sec. This interesting clip can be used when you teach young...

Here is a full-fledged investigation of light waves, the electromagnetic spectrum, and element spectra. Physicists research a scientist that contributed to our understanding of the behavior of light. They take notes on your lecture, and...

Hopefully you have a sensor interface for your physics class to use with graphing calculators when collecting data with a light sensor. If so, read on. Use this resource for learners to predict and then test whether or not the intensity...

Rainbow science anyone? learners put the color specturm, frequency, light waves, and wavelengths into a light speed context. They use algebraic formulas to determine the speed of each light wave length. A great way to connect math and...

Lights, shadows, action, and inquiry await your artistic scientists. They explore the way light travels, absorbs, reflects, and transmits through shadow play. They create folktale-inspired shadow puppets, explore the science of light,...

Examine the properties of light with a fifth grade science experiment. Pupils find out how light bounces off the surface of a mirror, as well as how a periscope works. For the science investigation part, kids build their own periscope...

Kindergartners identify different sources of light in a science activity. They view pictures of a flashlight, a match, and a lamp, among others, and color the part of the picture that creates light. A science activity prompts them to...

Here is a backyard explanation of the polarization of light. Using his porch railing, the video narrator demonstrates that if the grating is lined up with the direction of light waves, represented by a hula hoop, the waves are allowed to...

Do radio waves create light? It's more difficult to understand the things we can't see than those that we can. The simulation compares the relatively small range of visible light to the entire electromagnetic spectrum. It graphs the size...

Explore the behavior of light with different materials. Collaborative groups determine whether certain materials absorb, reflect, diffract, or transmit light waves. They then measure the angle of incidence and angle of reflection.

How quickly does light travel long distances? A short video simulates light going from the earth to the moon at two different paces. Scholars relate the distance to the rate to understand which simulation is correct.

Medicine has gone high tech. But how do the new, less invasive diagnostic tools work? An engaging short video sheds light on how integrated photonics is revolutionizing the medical sensor industry.

Have any of your learners seen the Northern Lights or heard of the Aurora Borealis? After reading an excerpt from the book Alaska by Rebecca Stefoff, discuss the story with your students. Next, divide your class into four groups to...

Show your class exactly what the Northern Lights look like! This actual footage makes for a high-quality video, especially for an earth science class. No sound is included.

Different colors of the spectrum travel at different speeds through media, causing them to refract at different angles—which allows humans to see their colors. Through a simulation, pupils see how air, water, and other media bend light....

Does light affect molecules or does it go right through them? The simulation explores four different types of light: microwave, infrared, visible, and ultraviolet. Scholars alter the energy level of each as it is aimed at seven different...

Your class might be surprised to learn that mirrors have been around since the first century AD! Young scientists explore reflection and refraction of light through a series of challenges. They use this knowledge to design their own...

Light intensity varies by the strength of the light bulb as well as the distance to the light bulb. Pupils apply these concepts independently at first. They must solve for the light intensity as either the distance or the wattage of the...

Zoe and RJ are trying to photograph an egret on a lake, but they are having trouble with the lighting. Reflection, refraction, and absorption are explored through their thoughtful dialogue so that your physical scientists are illuminated...

Colors, a variation of the wavelength of light they emit, is the focus of a video that explains the different frequencies of light waves, models how our brain processes the electromagnetic radiation, and how we perceive light.