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Lesson Plan
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Purdue University

Field Trip Snack Holder

For Teachers 3rd Standards
Is light related to insulation? An informative hands-on STEM activity demonstrates how light affects temperature. First, the class investigates how light passes through different mediums and how that relates to temperature. Then,...
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Lesson Plan
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Science 4 Inquiry

It's Not All Visible

For Teachers 6th - 10th Standards
Electromagnetic waves travel though empty space, something no other wave type can accomplish. Young scientists learn more about the entire spectrum of electromagnetic waves. They sort cards and apply their knowledge to create models of...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Typical Conceptual Questions for Physics I - Light and Quantum

For Students 9th - 12th
This is a stellar overview of everything light and quantum! There are 30 multiple choice questions, none of them requiring any mathematical computation. There are a few diagrams to analyze: light rays striking reflective and refractive...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Big Is That Star?

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Aspiring astronomers study stars. They compare stars and explain the relationship between radius, mass, and diameter. By creating a star simulation, they discover how a binary star system's orbit can cause changes in the observed...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

X-ray Spectroscopy and the Chemistry of Supernova Remnants

For Teachers 9th - 12th
This link takes you to a comprehensive unit that delves into emission spectra and supernovas. There are four parts: How and where elements are created, electromagnetic radiation, spectroscopy, and the newest technology for studying our...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Photoelectric Effect in Photocells

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Illuminate your physics class with this examination of a photovoltaic cell. Teach the structure and operation of the device using a diagram. Then make a human-powered, larger-than-life sized model of a PV cell. Learners become electrons...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Star Light, Star Bright

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Four modules are a part of this stellar lesson plan. Space scientists view the electromagnetic spectrum, they generate waves on a computer screen in order to measure frequency and wavelength, discover how light is related to temperature,...
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Assessment
Curated OER

Take-Home Midterm Exam #3

For Students 10th - Higher Ed
The University of Hawaii has published a vast collection of midterm and final exams for their Physics 152 course. This particular exam offers a variety of assessment methods, and covers the topic of electromagnetic radiation....
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Lesson Plan
K20 LEARN

This Is How the World Ends: Coronal Mass Ejections/Space Storms

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Is this the end of the world as we know it? Pupils prepare for a coronal mass ejection during a lesson plan from the K20 Center. The activity combines video and Internet research in a collaborative assignment that focuses on public...
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Instructional Video1:18
PBS

Reflection and Refraction | UNC-TV Science

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Uncover the exciting interactions of light energy and matter ranging from color to optical illusions. Participants explore color using red and green apples, differences between reflection and refraction, and descriptions of related...
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Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

Light, Matter and Energy

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Let Einstein's work shine the way. Pupils read about Einstein's iconic equation, E=mc^2, using a remote learning resource and see how ideas from other scientists such as Kepner, Curie, Galilei, and Newton led to its discovery. They...
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Activity
American Museum of Natural History

Light Quest

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Grab a partner and shed some light on light. A remote learning resource has scholars play a board game to answer trivia questions about light. They also read about how Einstein contributed to the understanding of light as both a wave and...
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Lesson Plan
National Woman's History Museum

Hedy Lamarr, An Inventive Mind

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Hedy Lamarr led a double life. Best known as an actress, Lamarr was also a brilliant inventor, responsible for the technology found in Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth. After studying primary and secondary source materials, groups conduct an...
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Lesson Plan
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Purdue University

Can You Make an Ultra Violet (UV) Light Detector?

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Light the way to a better understanding of UV radiation. After exploring how UV beads work, future engineers design investigations to answer questions about UV radiation. They then create and test prototypes of a device that detects UV...
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Lesson Plan
NASA

Analyzing Tiny Samples Using a Search for the Beginning Mass Spectrometry

For Students 9th - 12th
Teach the basics of mass spectrometry with a hands-on lesson. The fourth in a series of six lessons explores how mass spectrometry measures the ionic composition of an element. Learners then compare and contrast relative abundance and...
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Lab Resource
Colorado State University

What Does Color Have to Do with Cooling?

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Study the rate of cooling for objects of different colors. Learners focus on the reflection and absorption of infrared light. Your classes may be surprised to learn objects that heat the slowest also cool the slowest.
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Lab Resource
Colorado State University

Can You See Beyond the Rainbow?

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
There's more to light than ROYGBIV! An enlightening laboratory investigation has learners explore the world of infrared light. When they use goggles that take away visible light, they experience how things look with only infrared light.
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Lab Resource
Colorado State University

What Is Beyond the Rainbow?

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Help your classes see what they cannot see. Using different eyewear, scholars experience different light spectrums. Learners may be surprised by how the world looks with infrared light, thermal imaging, and ultraviolet light.
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Lab Resource
Colorado State University

Why Are Compact Fluorescent Bulbs More Efficient?

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Compact fluorescent bulbs are the easiest way to increase energy efficiency around the house. But why? Science scholars compare CF bulbs with their incandescent counterparts using a simple test. A solar-powered toy illuminates the...
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Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Sometimes You Behave Like a WAVE, Sometimes You Don't!

For Students 10th - 12th Standards
Electromagnetic radiation behaves like both a wave and a particle. Help classes explore this concept through a lab investigation. Young scientists create optical interference patterns on a glass slide using a carbon layer. They analyze...
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Lesson Plan
Santa Monica College

Flame Tests of Metal Cations

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed Standards
Scientists used flame tests to identify elements long before the invention of emission spectroscopy. Young chemists observe a flame test of five metal cations in the fourth activity of an 11-part series. Individuals then work...
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Handout
National Institute of Open Schooling

Atomic Structure

For Students 7th - 12th Standards
Learners explain historical findings such as Rutherford and Bohr's contributions, explain wave particle duality, and formulate Heinsenberg's uncertainty principle. They also draw s, p, and d orbitals, explain more historical findings,...
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Lesson Plan
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Teach Engineering

Electromagnetic Radiation

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
How can nanoparticles be used in the battle against skin cancer. Class members take on the question as they gather information about electromagnetic radiation, specifically ultraviolet radiation. Pupils learn about the mathematical...
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Activity
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Teach Engineering

Flame Test: Red, Green, Blue, Violet?

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
Let the true colors shine through. Pupils conduct a flame test to identify an unknown element. Class members calculate and prepare specific molarity solutions of three chemicals. Using their observations of the colors emitted, they...