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Whiteboard
ClassFlow

Class Flow: Introduction to Light

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart introduces fifth graders to the science of light. Principles such as transparent, translucent, opaque, reflection, and refraction are covered. Concave and convex mirrors and lenses are...
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Article
Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies

Mocomi: What Is Scattering of Light?

For Students 2nd - 8th
Do you know why the sky is blue? Article defines scattering and how it works. Explains the difference between the scattering of light and reflection or refraction.
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Article
Other

United States Master Swimming: Fiber Aquatics

For Students 9th - 10th
The principle of total internal reflection is discussed in this article. The appearance of objects from inside the water of a swimming pool is compared to the path of light in a fiber optic cable.
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Website
Space Telescope Science Institute

Amazing Space: Telescopes From the Ground Up

For Students 9th - 10th
Students can investigate the historical development of six different telescopes. The technical aspects of different telescopes are also presented.
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Handout
Georgia State University

Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Crossed Polarizers

For Students 9th - 10th
At this univeristy physics department site, the polarization of light is explained and illustrated. Methods for analyzing light to determine the degree of polarization are stated and explained with equations.
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Handout
Georgia State University

Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Polarization by Absorption

For Students 9th - 10th
The operation of Polaroid filters on a pair of sunglasses is shown.
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Handout
Optical Society

Optical Society of America: Optics for Kids: Lenses and Geometrical Optics

For Students 3rd - 8th
Article explaining what lenses are and how they work. At the end of the article, there are links to several hands-on activities for investigating lenses.
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Activity
Exploratorium

Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Physics/light

For Students 9th - 10th
Here is a large collection of simple science class activities for understanding the physics of light.
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Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Waves and Wave Properties

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Learners learn about the types of waves and how they change direction, as well as basic wave properties such as wavelength, frequency, amplitude and speed. During the presentation of lecture information on wave characteristics and...
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Handout
Physics Classroom

The Physics Classroom: Light Waves and Color

For Students 9th - 10th
The behavior of light waves is introduced and discussed. Also, polarization, color, diffraction, and interference are introduced and discussed thoroughly as supporting evidence of the wave nature of light.
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Unit Plan
Physics Classroom

The Physics Classroom: The Nature of a Wave

For Students 9th - 10th
A very good introduction to the world of waves. Waves and wavelike motion, what is a wave, and categories of waves are the topics examined in this site. Many links to other wave sites.
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Unit Plan
BBC

Bbc: Gcse Bitesize: General Properties of Waves

For Students 9th - 10th
Light travels as waves. Waves can be described by their amplitude, wavelength and frequency. The speed of a wave can be calculated from its frequency and wavelength.
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Activity
American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History: See the Light

For Students 3rd - 8th
Take a look at light with these three easy experiments
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Activity
Other

Easyphysics: Chapter 10 Light Waves

For Students 9th - 10th
Learners investigate light waves. Some topics examined are reflection of light, illuminance, and refraction of light. The resource includes example problems with solutions and a chapter quiz.
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Unknown Type
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Light Rays

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a quiz covering reflected, refracted, shadow, and camera rays.
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Handout
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Physics: Geometric Optics Study Guide

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn and understand geometric optics with this review resource.
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Graphic
Georgia State University

Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Sound Propagation

For Students 9th - 10th
This page and the many pages which are indexed to focus on the behaviors of sound which characterize it as a wave. Reflection, refraction, interference, diffraction and more are clearly illustrated and explained.
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Article
Physics Classroom

The Physics Classroom: Image Formation for Concave Mirrors Case A

For Students 9th - 10th
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...
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Handout
University of Maryland

Optics Highlights: The Telescope

For Students 9th - 10th
Part of an anecdotal history of optics and the study of light. Extremely thorough treatment of the invention of the telescope. Includes a short biographical sketch and discusses the work of Isaac Newton which focuses on his contribution...
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Handout
Oklahoma Mesonet

Oklahoma Climatological Survey: Overview of Radiation

For Students 9th - 10th
This site details what radiation is, the physics of radiation, and radiative transfer as it occurs in nature. Content explores the electromagnetic spectrum, electromagnetic waves, properties of radiation, and solar radiation.
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Website
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: About Rainbows

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from the University Corporation of Atmospheric Research provides an illustrated article about the phenomenon of rainbows.
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Activity
Center of Science and Industry

Cosi Columbus: Two Lenses in One

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Investigate the behavior of a water filled vial, and discover why it acts like a magnifier. Includes full list of materials, procedures, and scientific explanation of what causes light rays to change direction.
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Lesson Plan
My Science Site

Optics: Energy and Control [Pdf]

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A very comprehensive unit including topics such as light and its source, visible sources of light, transparency of objects and much more. Also offers a resource list, blackline masters, and expectation list, expectation summary and a...
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Unit Plan
BBC

Bbc: Gcse Bitesize: Why Do Scientists Think That Light and Sound Are Waves?

For Students 9th - 10th
Light travels as transverse waves and can travel through a vacuum. Sound travels as longitudinal waves and needs to travel through a solid, liquid or gas. Read about the properties of light and of sound, and learn the differences between...

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