Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: Light (K 4)
This site provides two activities that learners can do in class. One uses mirrors to reflect light beams whole another is making a kaleidescope.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Introduction Lesson on Light
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart is an introduction lesson on light. It explains absorption, transmission, and reflection. It contains real pictures that allow students to see how matter in an object determines how much...
University of Chicago
University of Chicago: Reflector and Refractor
From the Yerkes Observatory Virtual Tour web site. Compares and contrasts reflecting and refracting telescopes. A link from the page leads to a second page which explains why most modern research telescopes are reflecting telescopes.
Utah Education Network
Uen: Enlightening Explorations, Part Ii
This lesson engages students in learning about light. Studets will describe how light is produced, reflected, refracted, and separated.
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Polarization by Absorption
The operation of Polaroid filters on a pair of sunglasses is shown.
Space Telescope Science Institute
Amazing Space: Telescopes From the Ground Up
Students can investigate the historical development of six different telescopes. The technical aspects of different telescopes are also presented.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Beating the Motion Sensor
Lighting is responsible for nearly one-third of the electricity use in buildings. One of the best ways to conserve energy is to make sure the lights are turned off when no one is in a room. This process can be automated using motion...
Other
University of Cambridge: Alien Attack!
You are on a mission--find out which alien invader is trying to blow up Earth! Take part in wiping crime from the universe and feel good about yourself in the process.
Other
Escolar.com: La Luz
A brief summary and illustrations of light and how the lights rays are reflected and bent.
Optical Society
Optical Society of America: Optics for Kids: Mirrors & the Law of Reflection
A simple activity to investigate how light reflects off a flat surface, a convex one, and a concave one. With a link to an article on reflection.
Ministry of Education and Employment of Spain
Red Escolar: Perimetros
In Spanish. This site has a simple explanation on how to find the perimeter of a plane figure. It also contains an activity of following the path of a light and a brief biography of Oenopides de Chios.
Optical Society
Optical Society of America: Optics for Kids: Watch Tv Upside Down
An experiment to invert a television image using a magnifying lens. Accompanied by an explanation of what's happening.
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments: Finding the Shortest Path
Students discover the shortest distance light travels from an object to the human eye, as the light from the object reflects off a single mirror. In the process they learn about reflection in a line, congruent angles, angle bisectors,...
Walter Fendt
Walter Fendt: Apps Zur Physik
This site, in German, offers numerous apps that illustrate common physics principles. Apps are organized into categories: mechanics, oscillations and waves, electrodynamics, optics, thermodynamics, the theory of relativity, physics of...
My Science Site
Bj's Science: Discovering the Laws of Reflection [Pdf]
A hands-on science activity for teachers to do to help students explore light reflection.
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: Mystery of the Mirrors (1 3)
This lesson plan from the Illinois Institute of Technology incorporates observation with hands on activity through various stations.
Other
Lighthouses: Lighting the Lights
A description of the early lights used in lighthouses and how these lights evolved into what they are today. Explains the contributions of Fresnel to the development of these lights; discusses the Fresnel orders.
Optical Society
Optical Society of America: Optics for Kids: Mirrors and Images
An experiment to investigate how many images appear as the angle between two hinged mirrors is increased. Accompanied by an explanation of what is happening, questions for students to consider, and a link to an article about reflection.
York University
The Joy of Visual Perception: Physics of Visual Stimulus
From an online "book," this particular page describes physics principles related to vision and sight. Keywords are linked to other pages with further information. The role of sunglasses in blocking glare is discussed and explained. A...
Other
Architectural Acoustics and Lighting: Room Acoustics
This site from Architectural Acoustics and Lighting provides a discussion of various factors affecting the acoustics of a given room. Room dimensions, the wavelength of the sound wave, the physical characteristics of the walls, the...
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Up Periscope!
Children can look around corners with this homemade periscope. Great instructions at this Exploratorium site on how to build a periscope.
PC Technology Guide
Pc Tech Guide: Scanners
Informative sight detailing the basics of what a scanner is and what it can do.
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Mirrors in Imaging
A discussion from Georgia State University of different types of mirrors and the images which they create. Discusses different instruments which use mirrors to produce images.