Galileo first observed Saturn's rings in 1610. Through the use of a flashlight and baby powder, classes see how they can observe the rings of the outer planets from far away. Another demonstration shows how these rings, made of ice and...

If you are up for constructing a wooden frame, you can do this demonstration of the interference patterns when light reflects off of layers of soapy film. Both constructive and destructive interference can be seen as evidenced by the...

What can a self-portrait reveal about an artist? Discuss various self-portraits before tasking your pupils with creating their own. Learners research artists, develop an idea of their own individuality, and create photo collages with...

Students define elements of stories from around the world that include helpful animals. They explore animal character motivations and use graphic organizers to compare and contrast animal stories from different cultures.

In an engaging activity on universal and unalienable rights, learners work in groups to establish a democratic nation and determine what principles they want to protect to ensure a democratic society. They conduct a "rights auction" in...

Fifth graders observe the video, Exploring Light and Color. They access a website to create their own light show. They conduct lab experiments to investigate refraction, reflection,and other light-related topics.

Students experiment with the concepts of absorption and reflection of radiant energy.

Sources of light, and the reflection of light off of objects, are the focus of this brief and simple science activity. Learners must trace the path that light takes which enables a boy to read a book. A suggested activity is to have the...

Young scholars discuss different ways engineers use light. In this engineering instructional activity, students are introduced to the properties of light and the way light is used. They view a demonstration of light waves using a slinky,...

Third graders explore absorption and reflection of light energy. In this solar energy lesson, 3rd graders explore how light energy transfers to heat energy through the construction of a solar water heater. Students will discuss and...

In this optics worksheet, students read about how light can reflect or refract and how lenses and mirrors work. Then students complete 13 matching, 27 fill in the blank, and 8 word problems.

In this optics activity, students read about refraction and reflection, lenses and mirrors, and objects and images. They answer 13 matching questions about light rays, light behavior and types of lenses. They also answer 9 questions such...

Sixth graders read Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, discuss refraction, identify example of it from novel, and perform classroom experiments demonstrating refraction and reflection.

Students are introduced to the relationship between light and vision. In groups, they participate in experiments to discover how different wavelengths are divided in the visible spectrum. They record their answers and discuss their...

Students experiment with mirrors. In this Mirrors and How They reflect lesson, students read how mirrors reflect light. Then students perform over ten experiments and record their conclusions about mirrors and reflection. Students create...

Students explore color, light, refraction and reflection.  In this light lesson students measure solar position and compare it to time.

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...

Did you see that or did I imagine it? Optical illusions are often created with mirrors and lenses, and here is a presentation that covers many different types of mirrors and lenses and how they work. Flat, concave, and convex mirrors, as...

A lesson uses a stop light to assist young scholars in using self-control. After the class defines self-control and how it boosts responsibility and independence, they practice a breathing exercise to reflect on their behavior....

What better way to learn about colors than by coloring? Starting with the primary colors, young artists follow written prompts to shade in various rectangles and a color wheel to show complementary colors, tints and shades, and more.

Your learners combine their knowledge of real and imaginary numbers and matrices in an activity containing thirty lessons, two assessments (mid-module and end module), and their corresponding rubrics. Centered on complex numbers and...

A campaign by Marley Diaz sheds light on the importance of diverse books. Scholars explore the campaign and identify "window" and "mirror" books. They look closely at their library and classroom bookshelves and reflect on why diverse...

Students investigate the question, "how does understanding the properties and characteristics of light help us to enhance our quality of life?". They apply knowledge gained though the unit in order to create an optical device.

Physics lab groups finagle with laser lights to determine the critical angle of refraction for both water and Lucite. Because there are no detailed steps or an answer key for this enlightening exercise, an inexperienced physics...