Curated OER
What's Up?
Learners compare and contrast the various heavenly bodies found in the sky at night. They identify the moon and stars in the sky as well as how the stars form pictures called constellations. Students also experiment with reflection and...
Curated OER
Enlightening Explorations, Part II
Sixth graders review their results from the previous experiments. After viewing a kaleidoscope, they make their own pattern on paper and describe the role of light. To end the lesson, they examine light being relfected and refracted and...
Curated OER
Frozen Film
Young scholars are introduced to the topic of light interference through this hands-on activity. They observe how light reflects off two surfaces and then meets to form an interesting variation of color on a film surface.
Curated OER
Frozen Film
Young scholars discover how light reflects off surfaces. In this hands-on demonstration, students examine how variations in color are produced by light interference.
Curated OER
Lighten Up!
Third graders observe light as a form of energy, that it can be reflected/bounced, refracted/bent and absorbed. They explore how different types of light affect our lives as a whole. Songs are researched that involve light (ex. "You...
American Institute of Physics
The Black Scientific Renaissance of the 1970s-90s: African American Scientists at Bell Laboratories
A two-part lesson asks young scientists to research the contributions of African American scientists at Bell Laboratories. After presenting their findings, class members watch two demonstrations that introduce them to total internal...
Curated OER
Extreme Flashlight Tag
Fifth graders view a Powerpoint show about reflecting light. They experiment through a reflection simulation on the internet. Students complete the activity by using mirrors and light to complete send light to a specified spot.
Curated OER
Online Exploration: Telescopes From the Ground Up
Students explore a web-based illustrated text and interactive graphics to determine the relationship between the operation of telescopes and light. optics. They work in small groups to become an expert on one of the ten eras of telescope...
Curated OER
Rain and Rainbows
Students explore the weather system by analyzing water properties. In this precipitation lesson plan, students review weather related vocabulary terms and discuss how rainbows are created by light hitting droplets at the right time....
Curated OER
Radiation from Space
In this radiation worksheet, students review the different types of radiation waves that come from space and the different telescopes used to detect this radiation. This worksheet has 17 true or false questions.
Curated OER
Gel-O-Colors!!
What distinguishes the differences between refraction and reflection? Learners identify the properties of light as they mix colored light to create new color variations. As they work they gather data about the properties of light and...
Curated OER
Reflection Experiments
Seventh graders investigate with light rays. In this light lesson, 7th graders determine the angle of reflection using simple materials. They continue the investigation by exploring the theory that light which is not reflected or...
Curated OER
Microscopes, Telescopes, and Cameras
In this lenses worksheet, students will explain how microscopes work by completing 4 short answer questions. Students will compare refracting telescopes with reflecting telescopes by writing the terms given under the correct column. Then...
Curated OER
Spectral Surprise
Students create spectral colors. In this hands-on science lesson, students examine the electromagnetic spectrum as they follow steps to create a model that separates and displays light.
Curated OER
Rainbow Science
In this reading comprehension worksheet, students read five paragraphs about the science of rainbows. Students then answer several questions about the reading.
Curated OER
Solar Cell Simulation
Students study photovoltaic technology. In this photovoltaic technology lesson, students simulate a photovoltaic system. Students discuss how to simulate a cloudy day.
Curated OER
The KAO Telescope
Students explore the basic principles of the operation of the NASA's KAO telescope. They construct a simplified model of it using film canisters and other everyday objects. Step by step directions are included in plan.
Curated OER
Microscopes and Telescopes
Students analyze a microscope and study what they do. In this investigative instructional activity students study how microscopes were first invented, and how ray diagrams are used in conjunction.
Curated OER
Spectral Surprise
Students experience a model that produces, separating, and displaying spectral colors.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Physics/light
Here is a large collection of simple science class activities for understanding the physics of light.
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Image Formation for Concave Mirrors Case A
This animation depicts the path of light to each person's eye. Different people are sighting in different directions; yet each person is sighting at the same image location. In this animation the image location is the intersection point...
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Ray Diagrams for Concave Mirrors Case B
Ray diagrams are useful tools for determining the location of an image as produced by a concave mirror. Of all the rays which emanate from the top of the object arrow and are incident to the mirror, there are two rays whose behavior at...
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Ray Diagrams for Concave Mirrors Case D
Ray diagrams are useful tools for determining the location of an image as produced by a concave mirror. Of all the rays which emanate from the top of the object arrow and are incident to the mirror, there are two rays whose behavior at...
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Lesson 3: Concave Mirrors
Lesson 3 of this tutorial on refraction is on concave mirrors. Content that is covered includes the anatomy of curved mirrors, reflection of light and image formation, ray diagrams, image characteristics for concave mirrors, plus more.