Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Physics/light
Here is a large collection of simple science class activities for understanding the physics of light.
Discovery Education
Discovery Education: The Em Spectrum: Waves of Energy
Students are introduced to the electromagnetic spectrum through this group research activity. Each group investigates a different wavelength range within the em spectrum and reports back to class. Discussion ideas also included.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: The Science of Light: Light in Color
Site explores colors and how they are formed. Provides three different activities to explore color.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Exploring Light: Absorb, Reflect, Transmit or Refract?
In a hands-on way, students explore light's properties of absorption, reflection, transmission and refraction through various experimental stations within the classroom. To understand absorption, reflection and transmission, they shine...
Space Telescope Science Institute
Amazing Space: Star Light Star Bright
Learn all about stars and the electromagnetic spectrum in this series of activities.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Views of the Universe: Telescopes, Starlight, Electromagnetic Spectrum
Students visit the websites of various world-renowned telescopes, view images of the universe, read how the images are made, and determine reasons for the different locations, different wavelengths of light detected, and general design...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: The Visual Spectrum
In this activity, students make simple spectroscopes (prisms) to look at different light sources. The spectroscopes allow students to see differing spectral distributions of different light sources.
Utah Education Network
Uen: I'll Build You a Rainbow
In these three activities, students explore the colors of the spectrum in white light.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: The Energy of Light
In this introduction to light energy, students learn about reflection and refraction as they learn that light travels in wave form. Through hands-on activities, they see how prisms, magnifying glasses and polarized lenses work. They also...
Other
Tooter4kids: Light and Color
You'll find a wealth of resources at this site dedicated to color! Easy-to-read discussions can be found on topics ranging from the science of light to complementary colors and the color wheel. All special terms are highlighted and...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: How Can We Measure the Wavelength of Light Emitted From Stars?
This activity is designed for learners to apply their knowledge of mathematics and physics to "real life" situations. Students are presented with the situation that they are on a camping trip and wish to know the wavelength emitted by a...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Designing a Spectroscopy Mission
Students find and calculate the angle that light is transmitted through a holographic diffraction grating using trigonometry. After finding this angle, student teams design and build their own spectrographs, researching and designing a...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Engineering Your Own Spectrograph
Students use simple materials to design an open spectrograph so they can calculate the angle light is bent when it passes through a holographic diffraction grating. A holographic diffraction grating acts like a prism, showing the visual...
NumberNut
Number Nut: Light and Colors
Discover the relationship between light and colors in this brief lesson. Links to related color identification activities, Color Memory Challenge and Identifying Colors Quiz. Immediate feedback given to responses that includes...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: Why Is the Sky Blue?
Students will learn about refraction and the scattering of sunlight as it enters the atmosphere, which causes the colors in light to separate, giving us blue skies and colorful sunrises and sunsets.
Optical Society
Optical Society of America: Optics for Kids: Release the Rainbow
A simple activity to demonstrate how light separates into colors when it passes through water acting as a prism.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Building a Fancy Spectrograph
Students create and decorate their own spectrographs using simple materials and holographic diffraction gratings. A holographic diffraction grating acts like a prism, showing the visual components of light. After building the...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Rgb to Hex Conversion
Students practice converting between RGB and hexadecimal (hex) formats. They learn about mixing primary colors in order to get the full spectrum of colors and how to average pixel values.
My Science Site
Optics: Energy and Control [Pdf]
A very comprehensive unit including topics such as light and its source, visible sources of light, transparency of objects and much more. Also offers a resource list, blackline masters, and expectation list, expectation summary and a...
Scholastic
Scholastic Instructor: Sun Sational Science
Discover more about the sun when you visit this educational resource. The content of this site includes solar fun facts, experiments, and activities.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Thirsty for Gold
Student teams conduct an experiment that uses gold nanoparticles as sensors of chemical agents to determine which of four sports drinks has the most electrolytes. In this way, students are introduced to gold nanoparticles and their...
Science Made Simple
Science Made Simple: Why Is the Sky Blue?
This website has three different projects from which to choose on the topic of why the sky is blue. Also, you can scroll up to learn more about why the sky is blue.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Using Ph Et Simulations in a Large Lecture Class the Photoelectric Effect
This activity provides a complete curriculum for teaching the photoelectric effect using the PhET Photoelectric Effect simulation in a large-lecture modern physics course.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: A Spectral Mystery
Students use the spectrograph from the "Building a Fancy Spectrograph" activity to gather data about light sources. Using their data, they make comparisons between different light sources and make conjectures about the composition of a...