Exploratorium
Laser Jello
The concepts of refraction and reflection gel with your physical science class during this colorful exploration. Shining lasers through Petri-dish-shaped gelatin desserts, they will notice how the light travels and bounces off the sides....
Curated OER
Congruent Rectangles
Very simply, geometers examine a pair of rectangles on graph paper and find a translation and rotation to demonstrate their congruence. A couple of questions follow to stimulate critical thinking about other possibilities.
Curated OER
Congruent Segments
The task, should your class decide to take it, is to list a series of reflections that transfer a line segment from one position to another.
NASA
Earth's Global Energy Budget
Introduce your earth science enthusiasts to the earth's energy budget. Teach them using an informative set of slides that include illuminating lecturer's notes, relevant vocabulary, embedded animations, colorful satellite maps, and a...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Telescoping Periscope
Ahoy, matey! Here is an engineering expedition that mini mariners are sure to be swept away by! After reading a brief description and history of periscopes, they work in crews to construct one. Use this activity to enhance a lesson on...
Curated OER
Closing Up Shop: the End of the School Year
How to say goodbye, stay organized, and handle stress as the school year comes to a close.
Curated OER
Typical Numeric Questions for Physics I - Light and Optics
Nineteen word problems dealing with frequency, speed, reflection, and refraction of light are provided here. Empower your physics masters to manipulate equations for computing angles, focal lengths, image heights, and more! This is a...
Curated OER
Listening Devices
Young scholars design and construct a listening device that will allow them to listen to the sound generated by specific object inside a box.
Curated OER
Typical Conceptual Questions for Physics I - Light and Quantum
This is a stellar overview of everything light and quantum! There are 30 multiple choice questions, none of them requiring any mathematical computation. There are a few diagrams to analyze: light rays striking reflective and refractive...
Curated OER
Coordinate Plane Transformations
Geometric transformations are explored by high schoolers. They will create a set of instructions for plotting coordinates representing an original transformation of a real-world figure. These instructions are shared with middle...
Curated OER
Solar Kit Lesson #9 - Properties of Solar Radiation: Reflection, Transmission, and Absorption
Middle school science stars observe and record data on the solar radiation reflected off or transmitted through various materials. They predict properties for various materials, and test their predictions by touch. This lesson becomes...
Curated OER
Physical Setting: Physics Exam 2004
Twelve pages of mostly multiple-choice questions comprise this comprehensive New York Regents physics exam. It covers an entire year's worth of physics curriculum and requires about three hours for completion. Review the questions to...
Curated OER
Indirectly Direct
Students use prior knowledge of angle and lines as they conduct an experiment with a rolling marble to determine the shape of a mystery object located under a metal pie tin.
Curated OER
Superhero Science
Young scientist explore the various positions in the debate on stem cell research and then discuss these perspectives before formulating their own positions. They must research the topic and beliefs that others have. They will also look...
National Gallery of Canada
Self-Portrait, Mirrors and Metamorphosis!
Using M.C. Escher's Hand with Reflecting Sphere as inspiration, learners create their own set of self-portraits using various reflective surfaces. The lesson plan begins with a discussion about portraiture and ends with a presentation of...
Exploratorium
Touch the Spring
Concave mirrors and the images they produce are traditional topics in the physics classroom. This resource explains how to set up an investigation of them, and it provides you with the explanation of concepts.
Exploratorium
Parabolas
A parabolic mirror toy demonstrates how concave mirrors objects reflect light and produce a realistic image at their focal point. This resource probably doesn't explain any more than the printed insert that accompanies such an apparatus...
Exploratorium
Give and Take
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...
Exploratorium
Corner Reflector
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...
Exploratorium
Bird in the Cage
When your life science class is learning about the eye and how it works, you can add this activity as a demonstration of how the retina holds an afterimage. After staring at a red, green, or blue bird shape, pupils glance at a cage and...
Exploratorium
Cylindrical Mirror
Using flexible mirror-like paper, physical scientists experiment with images produced by curving it and looking into its reflective surface. They find that concave mirrors cause reflected light waves to cross and actually flip the image...
Curated OER
Reflecting Reflections
A triangle rests in quadrant two, from which your class members must draw reflections, both over x=2 and x=-2. This focused exercise strengthens students' skills when it comes to reflection on the coordinate plane.
Curated OER
Point Reflection
Use this task as an exit ticket for your eight graders during the geometry unit. All they need to do is identify the coordinates of a point reflected over y=2000.
Teacherfiles
Portfolio Contents
Learners can create a portfolio in any class and use this handy table of contents to organize their work effectively. Individuals are asked to include their best work alongside work that demonstrates areas for progress. The table of...