Printables
The New York Times

Anatomy of a Scene

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Casting, setting, context, frame, camera angle, lighting, soundtrack. Every choice a writer or director makes is conscious. Here's a worksheet that asks readers/viewers to examine these choices and consider how they are used to to...
Unit Plan
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NASA

The Science of the Sun

For Teachers K - 6th Standards
There's more to that glowing ball of light in sky than most children realize. From the overall structure of the solar system, to the changing of the seasons, these hands-on lessons open the eyes of young scientists to...
Unit Plan
American Chemical Society

Energy Foundations

For Students 10th - 12th Standards
Only 10 percent of an incandescent bulb's energy is used to create light; the remaining 90 percent is heat. In the unit of activities, young chemists examine energy through hands-on activities, videos, discussions, and...
Interactive
PHET

Faraday's Electromagnetic Lab

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
"But still try, for who knows what is possible." - Michael Faraday. Faraday's advice features in a simulation that permits pupils to play with a bar magnet in order to make a light bulb glow connecting electromagnetic induction to...
Interactive
PHET

Faraday's Law

For Teachers 6th - Higher Ed Standards
Could a flux capacitor really work? An engaging simulation encourages scholars to investigate Faraday's law. They experiment with various speeds, magnitude, voltage, and different-sized coils. Hopefully experimenters will be able to...
Lesson Plan
K20 Learn

Blackout Poetry: Re-Envisioning Writing

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Shed light on the beauty of language with a great poetry activity. After learning about Austin Kleon's blackout poetry model, pupils respond to some of his poetry and use it as a model to produce their own. Young writers also share their...
Lesson Plan
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Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary

From Ben’s Pen to Our Lives

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
What would Ben do? Jumping off from the pseudonymous letters Ben Franklin fooled his older brother into publishing when he was still a teenager, young literary lovers dive into acting, writing, and addressing a local issue with wit and...
Worksheet
Curated OER

No Shadow of Doubt

For Students 5th
Fifth graders must use a pencil to draw in the shadows they think will be formed by a house, a greenhouse, and a tree. The sun is behind each of these objects, and an open field is in front of them. That's where pupils draw their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Color Theory

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners are able to gain an understanding of primary and secondary colors. They are able to explore about how a mixture of colors makes up white light. Students are able to experiment with the mixing of paint that uses pigments, not...
Lesson Plan
Ocean and Coastal Interdisciplinary Science

The Dark Ocean

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Is the ocean blue at all depths? Nope! Explore the science behind the light spectrum in deep, dark waters. The lesson recommends watching The Blue Planet: Open Ocean—The Deep, but it's not integral, or you can substitute another clip....
Activity
It's About Time

Color

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
How can a hand puppet's shadow look like a dog? The lesson explains the science behind shadows, combining paint colors and the colors used in old televisions. Scholars use white, red, blue, and green lights to experiment with colors...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Photosynthesis

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners conduct experiments with plants.  In this photosynthesis activity, students examine plants under different types of lights.  They calculate the amount of dissolved ocygen concentration and compare it to the formula for...
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Beam Focusing Using Lenses

For Students 11th - 12th
Explore optics using an inquiry-based experimental approach! Young scholars use a set of materials to design and build a unit capable of focusing a beam of light. They experiment with different lenses to determine the best approach to...
Lesson Plan
National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium

Sun Printing

For Teachers 3rd - 7th
Ozalid acid paper is sensitive to the light. It reacts by getting darker, and it's the same paper photographers use when they print their pictures. Here, kids get to use photo-sensitive paper to create sun prints to find out...
Lesson Plan
Education World

Take Five: Writing a Color-Coded Paragraph

For Teachers K - 5th Standards
Use a traffic light to model a very basic paragraph plan. The Go, or topic sentence, is written in green and expresses an opinion about the topic. Information that supports the opinion of the Go sentence is written in yellow and the...
Handout
Curated OER

Reflection and Refraction

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
What is a prism? A place for light waves that commit minor refractions! The thorough resource includes three hands-on investigations covering light reflection and refraction; mirrors, lenses, and images; and optical systems. Subject...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Series or Parallel?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Emerging electricians extend mental models of light bulbs and resistors in series and or in parallel circuits to include the connection of photovoltaic cells in arrays. They investigate open circuits, using a DC voltmeter, a light...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using Waves on the Job!

For Teachers 7th - 12th
A colorful and comprehensive PowerPoint highlights this lesson on waves. Junior geophysicists pretend that they are hired to analyze seismic waves. A worksheet is provided to go along with an online article about how compact discs work...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Incoming Solar Radiation

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Demonstrate how the spherical shape of the Earth contributes to unequal heating of its surface and results in varying climates at different latitudes. This would be an illuminating addition to your meteorology lessons, especially when...
Instructional Video2:41
American Museum of Natural History

They Glow!

For Students 6th - 12th
Would you believe marine animals can make their own light? An online resource describes the process of bioluminescence and how animals in the ocean use it to survive. The lesson features a catchy tune that describes the behavior of ocean...
Instructional Video2:41
American Museum of Natural History

They Glow!

For Students 6th - 12th
Let there be light! An interactive online lesson describes the process of bioluminescence and how ocean species use it to their advantage. The lesson highlights several specific species as well as provides vocabulary support with...
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Thinking with the Eyes

For Students 9th
Objects are larger (or smaller) than they appear! Scholars use a laboratory investigation to explore the difference between resolution and magnification. The activity allows them to calculate the size of the field of view of their light...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Effects of Photosynthesis on Plant Growth

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students are able to draw a diagram of the light reactions and briefly describe what is occurring throughout the process. They are able to explain where each reactant/product in the photosynthesis equation comes from/goes during the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Orienting a Photovoltaic Cell

For Teachers 9th - 12th
By mounting a light bulb on a stand and a PV cell on another, physics apprentices experiment with the angle of incidence. Their goal is to determine the optimum angle for collecting solar energy. The use of a scientific calculator...

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