Optical Instruments Teacher Resources

Learners identify the parts of a human eye.  In this eye instructional activity students compare a human eye to the lenses of a camera and explain what a hologram is.

This extensive chapter gives learners a new angle on that old geometry favorite, trigonometry. From the unit circle to right triangles, the role of trigonometric ratios is explored through explanation of theory and working application...

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.

When young physicists study light, they will need to explore refraction, fiber optics, and birefringence. Within this resource are the background information and activity instructions for exploring all of these phenomena. Use all of the...

You could call this five presentations rolled into one resource! The first topic of concern is the characteristics of electromagnetic waves.The electromagnetic spectrum is examined next, followed by the behavior of light. Several slides...

A few definitions related to waves open this slide show. Note that the information only covers light waves even though the title mentions sound. Correct the title before using this resource. Another mention is a set of photos of a class...

All aspects of the path of light are included in a great summary. Internal reflection and the angles of paths in different materials are explained and the behavior of visible light through lenses and the effect on focal points are...

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.

In this Sombrero Galaxy activity, students observe infrared images taken by the Spitzer Infrared Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope. They answer 9 questions about the details of the images such as the radius of the stellar...

Eighth graders are introduced to concepts related to the Solar System. In groups, they participate in an experiment in which they must describe a ray of light and how it travels. They draw a diagram of the electromagnetic spectrum and...

Students use a software program to create artwork and to manipulate images to study mirror and rotational symmetry. They take pictures of items in their environment in which they identify symmetry.

In this letter o words worksheet, students match the letter o words to their definitions. Students complete 10 matches for letter o words to definitions.

Students research space flight exploration and technology. In small groups, they research a significant event from early time until the start of the space age. A class time line is created from the research groups.

Students explore photographs from the Civil War Era. In this Civil War lesson, students consider how photography impacted public opinion of the war as they analyze the provided photographs and discuss the evolution of early photography.

Students investigate with sea urchins. In this ocean habitat lesson, students observe sea urchins and other ocean grazers. Students work with lab equipment to examine the anatomy of these creatures.

Students draw a diagram that shows the law of reflection. In this physics lesson, students investigate the relationship between the angle of incidence and angle of reflection. They explain how light travels as it reflects on a surface.

Fourth graders research a person who made a difference in New York's history, they write short biographies, and then they become the person during The Living History Museum. They can choose a person from any timie period.

Students work together to test how the color of a material affects how much heat it absorbs. They make predictions and take notes on their observations. They discover how engineers use this type of information.

Learners investigate the integrity and strength of different types of food wraps. They test the wraps and create a graphic organizer for the data. Once it is organized then a lab report can be written. The lesson plan contains background...

Learners explain how telescopes work and how they can contribute to our knowledge of the universe.

Fourth graders use circles to "home in" on particular spots, showing the ability of scientists to locate unseen objects in space. This activity shows how scientists know certain objects exist in space due to the forces exerted by...

Students work in teams to research common categories of inventions and their development over time. They access primary and secondary sources; create timelines, glossaries and oral presentations and include a developed bibliography.