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Mirrors and How They Reflect
Students experiment with mirrors. In this Mirrors and How They reflect lesson plan, students read how mirrors reflect light. Then students perform over ten experiments and record their conclusions about mirrors and reflection. Students...
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Light and Optics
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.
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The Bending and Bouncing of Light
Students investigate refraction and reflection of light. For this light lesson, students perform 3 activities to observe light interacting with matter by using a flashlight. They explore refraction using a glass of water and reflection...
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Light Reflections
Young scholars explore light. In this physical science light lesson, students display objects on a projection screen and investigate how light absorbs, refracts, transmits and reflects. Young scholars discuss common features of...
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Exploration of Light
Fifth graders observe the video, Exploring Light and Color. They access a website to create their own light show. They conduct lab experiments to investigate refraction, reflection,and other light-related topics.
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Light
Students examine how light waves travel. In this properties of light lesson plan, students observe how light travels in water, how light is reflected and refracted, and how light is pure energy.
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Light Is Amazing
Students investigate light and its energy. They discuss the properties of light, research how much light the moon absorbed on their birthday on a website, complete a graphic organizer, and create a kaleidoscope.
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Reflecting Light
Learners are introduced to the reflective properties of light and use mirrors to make light from a source reflect onto a specific target. They take turns and record the amount of time it took to correctly reflect the light.
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What Role Does Light Play Within the Vision Process?
High schoolers are introduced to the relationship between light and vision. In groups, they participate in experiments to discover how different wavelengths are divided in the visible spectrum. They record their answers and discuss their...
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Electromagnetic and Physical Waves
Students compare and contrast electromagnetic and physical waves. In this wave lesson plan, students discover that all waves reflect, refract, and diffract energy. Students work in small groups to experiment with waves and evaluate the...
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Physical Principles in Living Systems
Seventh graders experiment with white light, plane mirrors, and curved mirrors in order to demonstrate the physical principles of living systems. In this physical principles lesson plan, 7th graders take 3 days to discover what happens...
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Applied Science - Physics Lab
Students define reflection and refraction. In this Physics lesson, students compare a variety of items to find properties of reflection or refraction. Students record their findings.
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How Light Moves
Students study the movement of light. In this light lesson, students work in groups to participate in a light and shadow walk around their neighborhood. Students brainstorm rules for light movement and watch videos about light travel,...
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Applied Science - Physics (5B) Post Lab
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.
Cornell University
Beam Focusing Using Lenses
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...
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Fiber Optics
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.
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An Awareness of Light Made Simply Fun
Learners with sensory perception issues discover the properties of light through a series of excellent hands on activities. They look at beams of lights in a darkened room; use a kaleidoscope and optical illusions as they experience the...
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Energy and Control
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.
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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...
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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...
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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.
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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.
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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...
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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.