Many people know that fiber optics are used in delivering the Internet, but are surprised to learn they are also used in astronomy. Scholars explore light, reflection, and fiber optics through hands-on activities. They discuss...

Message sending has come a long way since the days of Morse code's dots and dashes. Young scientists study the research of optical physicist Anthony Johnson and his work in fiber optics, lasers, and the principle of total internal...

Can art play tricks on your eyes, and can a still painting really appear to vibrate? The second lesson in a four-part series discusses the way our beautiful brains translate visual images. It highlights the style of optical art and...

Students examine and create a tool that enables them to explore the scientific principle the Moire Effect. Using markers, paper, and scissors, they create an optical illusion that involves superimposing a grid of lines over another...

Don't have an electron microscope? Have your classes build the next best thing! A hands-on lesson asks scholars to build a model of Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). They then use their models to identify the function of each...

Here is a great science lesson plan. It extends the concept of vision into the area of optical illusions, perspective, and tessellation. This well-designed plan has tons of great activities, utilizes interesting video, and should lead to...

Teacher's notes, a materials list, detailed procedure, tips, and extension ideas are all included to make teaching this instructional activity on photovoltaic cells a sunny spot in your day! After some brief background reading, physical...

Students explore optical illusions. For this Applied Science lesson, students view optical illusions and record the data of what they see. Students graph the data that they collect.

Third graders utilize the scientific method to explain light and optics in this five lessons unit. Through experimentation and discussion, 3rd graders canvass the concepts of light traveling, reflection and refraction.

This is a printout of the slides for a presentation on fiber optics. In bullet-style notes, it covers how optic fibers work, their structure, different types, and their use. You may use these as a lecture guide, or if you want to take...

Third graders experience optic illusions by creating flipbooks. In this optics instructional activity, 3rd graders view a demonstration of the workings of rods and cones using a camera. They are shown an optical illusion and work to...

Explore optics using an inquiry-based experimental approach! Young scholars use a set of materials to design and build a unit capable of focusing a beam of light. They experiment with different lenses to determine the best approach to...

Ahoy, matey! Here is an engineering expedition that mini mariners are sure to be swept away by! After reading a brief description and history of periscopes, they work in crews to construct one. Use this activity to enhance a...

Jell-O® can help model the transmission of light through fiber optic cables. Young scientists use the jiggly dessert to make a waveguide to transmit a laser beam from one point to another. Their models help them learn the function...

Experiment with optical resolution using an inquiry-based lesson. Young researchers calculate fellow classmates' optical resolutions. They apply the information to understand the inner workings of optical instruments.

Students gain a conceptual comprehension of the functioning of the Human Eye in relation to optics and optical vision correction. They explore optics with light sources and various lenses, relating these to visual acuity, accommodation,...

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...

Ninth graders, in groups, research a Canadian astronaut, developing a profile of their astronaut for presentation in a learning center. They visit the other groups' centers to explore more astronauts.

Students view, identify, and construct four optical illusions. In this optical illusions lesson, students are introduced to four types of optical illusions. They construct their own illusions.

Students investigate optical illusions. In this optical illusions instructional activity, students explore perception. Students analyze optical illusions and determine common misconceptions.

Students explore the uses of optical fibers, are exposed to the principles of refraction and total internal reflection, solve problems relating to the design of fiber optic cables, and compare them to copper transmission lines.

Fifth graders analyze optical images. in this optical lesson, 5th graders look at how light reflects and refracts. They discuss different types of lenses and how they change the picture that is taken. 

Students encounter different technology assignments that are related to light and optics. The activities are resource links that can be accessed directly from the directory that is given.

Investigate the properties of rocks and minerals through a rockin' hands-on activity. Learners test rocks for various properties and, using a guide, attempt to identify different samples. They use various properties including hardness,...