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...
Mr. E. Science
Light
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...
Curated OER
The Grating Spectrometer; Light and Wavelengths
Students create a paper model that demonstrates wave interference for 3 wavelength from 2 sources. In this light and wave instructional activity, students use a real spectrometer and observe and measure the wavelength of spectral lines....
Curated OER
Color
Students study the elements of color in paint and light. In this color science lesson, students discuss colors in their world, white light, and rainbows. Students mix three primary paint colors to make various secondary colors. Students...
Exploratorium
Bone Stress
Lighten up a bit with this activity! Use an old-fashioned overhead projector to shine light through a pair of polarizing filters. Place a stressed plastic object in between and display the colors of light waves revealed! Rotate the...
Curated OER
Color and Light Spectrum Demonstrations
Students explore the light spectrum. The teacher uses holographic diffraction grafting film on an overhead to demonstrate the true nature of color. After observing a vivid rainbow, students recognize that white light is composed of all...
Curated OER
Spicy Hot Colors
Second graders investigate the book Spicy Hot Colors. In this colors lesson, 2nd graders experiment mixing paint and creating different colors. Students make text to world connections and record their responses and draw pictures.
It's About Time
Color
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...
Curated OER
The Components of Light
Students are given a mnemonic device to review the light spectrum as it relates to the different components of refracted light. In this components of light lesson, students read Light Magic and review the properties of light. Students...
Curated OER
I'll Build You A Rainbow
Sixth graders conduct a variety of experiments to explore types of light and the concept of refraction. They observe objects in water, use water and prisms to create rainbows and combine light filtered through colored cellophane to...
Curated OER
Light and Color
Students will see how different colors of lights mix. In this light and color lesson, students watch as flashlights of different colors are shined individually, then together. Students observe that the light travels in straight lines and...
Curated OER
Light and Vision
In this light and vision activity, high schoolers will review the characteristics of light including how the eyes use light to see. This activity has 9 fill in the blank, 8 true or false, 9 multiple choice, and 1 short answer question.
Discovery Education
Through the Looking Glass
Turning white light into colors only takes a little scientific know how! Young scholars create their own spectroscope in a hands-on activity exploring the properties of light. Using a diffraction grating, they discover how white light...
Curated OER
Color in 3-D: A Nature Design Project
Students view a film about Hans Hofman and consider his use of color and layering. They experiment with the concept of 'push and pull' by using warm and cool color schemes in a tracing of leaves and shapes. Students view their work using...
Curated OER
Blinded by the Light
High schoolers recognize that the colors they see are a result of the reflection of light. For this light and color lesson, students predict what color will be produced when lights are mixed. They identify the three primary colors and...
Curated OER
Properties of Light
In this light waves worksheet, students will measure the wavelength of different light waves and then calculate its frequency. This worksheet has 9 short answer questions and 10 fill in the blank questions.
California Academy of Science
Pollution in Our Watershed
The concept of a how pesticides and other chemicals pass through a watershed can be difficult for younger learners to grasp without a concrete example. In the activity here, some blank paper, markers, and a spray bottle are all you need...
Curated OER
Color of Stars
Students study the color of stars. In this astronomy based lesson, students observe the colors in an open flame and apply the information collected about color and temperature to the visible light emitting from the photosphere of various...
Curated OER
Light Week
First graders experiment with prisms to explore sequence of colors of light created.
Curated OER
How Do The Colors of Light Mix?
Students investigate the mixing of light. They form a hypotheses to reason why color changes occur and they write conclusions and ask new questions arising from the investigation. Students identify the primary and complementary colors of...
Curated OER
Colors of the Universe Scavenger Hunt
In this colors of the universe activity, students explore the Internet to access one specific website to answer five short answer questions about the colors of the universe.
Curated OER
The Color Spectrum: How Does it Work?
Create models of the infrared, visible, and ultraviolet portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Working in small groups, your class can investigate metric conversions calculations. They will find the length of the waves in nanometers,...
Curated OER
Colors and Geometric Shapes
In this color and geometric shapes worksheet, students examine a chart with 16 figures with their color words printed underneath each one. Students answer the 6 questions using the information on the chart.
Cornell University
Spectral Analysis with DVDs and CDs
Build a spectrometer to analyze properties of light. Scholars examine the spectrum from CDs and DVDs from two different light sources. Using the spectrum, they work to identify different elements.