Light Teacher Resources

Students explore the nature of light. They use on-line articles and a worksheet to explore the roles of the eye and brain in the perception of color. They draw and label a diagram illustrating the movement of light.

Learners compute the cost of electricity used to light their classroom and their school for various lengths of time. They compute the amount of coal needed to produce the electricity used for one hour of light in their classroom. An...

Incandescent light bulbs were enlightening more than 130 years when Thomas Edison invented them. More recently, US Congress passed legislation to increase efficiency standards. Your 5th, 6th, or 7th graders will be enlightened as they...

All of the classic means of revealing refraction are employed in this interactive whiteboard presentation: a straw in a cup of water and light rays traveling through a piece of glass. On the drawing of light passing through glass, Derek...

All aspects of the path of light are included in a great summary. Internal reflection and the angles of paths in different materials are explained and the behavior of visible light through lenses and the effect on focal points are...

Refraction is the bending of light, changing its path. This phenomenon is caused by a change in the speed of the light waves. This video provides visual demonstrations of refraction through various media. It concludes by mentioning how...

How does a single photon show a phase shift? Using the interference pattern created by light traveling through a double slit, the resource asks whether the interference pattern would still show if only one photon of light is sent at a...

Shed some light on the nature of shadows! Science sleuths investigate a 200-year-old theory that light will form a bright spot in the center of a sphere's or circle's shadow with a video from Veritasium. The resource explains the...

How does a neon light work and does it actually contain the gas neon? An enlightening simulation encourages pupils to play with circuits and neon lights. They control the capacitance, resistance, and color of the bulb, and the simulation...

Scientists detected exoplanets by measuring how the brightness of stars changed over time. Young astronomers interpret and analyze the same data that led to exoplanet discoveries. They learn to apply light curve graphs and connect the...

Where does bad light end up? In a prism! The presentation covers light, mirrors, lenses, and the structure of the eye. It also provides explanations of reflection, refraction, concave and convex mirrors and lenses, and a comparison of...

Have you ever wanted to break the speed of light from your backyard? Something seemingly impossible, and technically improbable, looks impressive thanks to the "magic" of science. The brief video explains how photons can travel from your...

Rainbows can teach us about the visible light spectrum. Learners observe multiple items that clearly display a rainbow to develop better connections. The lesson then explains wavelength using a rope to make waves.

An interesting set of details about the light spectrum, these slides explain how objects reflect and absorb light to affect how they appear to the human eye. The differences in mixing lights or pigments is explained and some everyday...

Why do shadows look different in the summer than in the winter? What causes day and night? How can a sundial be used to tell time? Answer these questions and more through two engaging lessons about light and shadows. Fourth and fifth...

Heat-sensitive liquid crystal sheets are available in a variety of sizes and temperature ranges. Purchase a class set of hand-held sheets and color half of each with a silver permanent marking pen. Learners of light can hold them under a...

Make a class set of spectrum tubes by first purchasing some diffraction grating, and then constructing the tools with mailing tubes or shoe boxes. If you aren't up for assembling them, you could purchase prepared spectroscope kits. This...

You can create a camera with even the most unassuming materials. Learners view photographs and talk about the art. Some background information is included about the camera obscura for you to present before individuals make their own...

Third graders discovver what causes the dramatic colors of a sunset by seeing the changing color of light as it passes through a clear container of water to which milk is gradually added. They measure the liquids and observe what happens...

Illuminated physics stars show what they know about light by taking this exam. They match several related vocabulary terms to descriptions and answer multiple choice questions about the characteristics of light, magnification, and...

What causes a shadow to appear? Have kindergartners and first graders explore shadows with a fun science activity. After reading a short paragraph about light sources, they draw a shadow for a little girl based on the location of the...

Light waves and sound waves are the focus of this science lesson designed for 5th graders. Besides discovering how these waves travel, learners also discover the basic properties of waves, and analyze data tables and graphs. The...

Thomas Alva Edison may be one of the most well-known scientists to elementary or middle schoolers. Use his story to show that he invented more than just the light bulb and to inspire youngsters to work hard! You could use this on the...

If you set up a triad of mirrors into a corner figuration, they act as a kaleidoscope, bouncing light waves back and forth indefinitely, changing the light that your eyes perceive. Although the materials required are very specific and...