Lesson Plan
Curated OER

THE MANY COLORS OF SUNLIGHT

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine rainbow components, spectral colors, colors perceived by the eye, hot solids, glowing rarefied gas, absorption, that light is a wave, and optics.
Lesson Plan
NASA

Things Are Not Always What They Seem

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Science is magic that works. Magical color-changing beads and a coffee can that follows voice commands are just two examples of magic tricks that rely on science. After completing a hands-on activity and an experiment investigating the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Which Colored Filter Will Decode a Secret Message?

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students investigate how to create secrete messages through filters. They view pictures with red and green filters and discuss what they observe. They select the color filter that works best to read secret messages. They view pictures...
Interactive
McGraw Hill

Blackbody Radiation Interactive

For Students 9th - Higher Ed
Noting the color of a star is equivalent to taking its temperature! A creative lesson describes the connection between a star's temperature and the color it emits. As pupils interact with a simulation, they learn how to connect the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Effects of Light and Temperature on the Growth and Development of Plants

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students investigate the effects of light and temperature on plant growth and development. In this plant growth lesson plan, students use radish plants and cover them with different shades of green and red transparencies and observe...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using Bubbles to Learn about Light Interference

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners explain the wave properties of light.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Obtain a visible spectra of chlorophyll a

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students become familiar with the concept of spectroscopy or the study of the interaction of matter with electromagnetic radiation. They prepare solutions and measure absorbance at different wavelengths. Pupils comprehend that mater and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Understanding Light: Lesson 2 - The Electromagnetic Spectrum

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate the Electromagnetic Spectrum and realize there is energy beyond visible light. They identify parts of the EM Spectrum.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How to verify the relationship between the wavelength and frequency of light

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students collaborate in heterogeneous groups with each student having a different role. They comprehend the relationship between the frequency and wavelength of light. They record their observations in a table that is included on this...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Check Out Lights and Shields with Beads

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students explore Ultraviolet detecting beads and conduct several investigations with them.  In this investigative lesson students participate in an experiment to see the harmful effects of UV light and discuss their findings. 
Worksheet
Curated OER

Electromagnetic Spectrum Worksheet

For Students 7th - 10th
These six multiple-choice questions ask pupils to evaluate the energy, wavelength, and frequency of particular electromagnetic wavelengths. Further questions then require them to apply their knowledge and convert certain values or give...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Role Does Light Play Within the Vision Process?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pupils 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...
Lesson Plan
University of Texas

Multi-wavelength Astronomy

For Students 9th - 12th
Explore a land far, far away with a well-designed lesson that examines electromagnetic imaging as a way to obtain information about galactic structures. Learners begin to see the importance of looking beyond the visual spectrum to...
Lesson Plan
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network

Making a Liquid Crystal Thermometer

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Introduce your classes to a fourth state of matter! Liquid crystals have a colorful sheen that changes based on different physical factors. Learners use this information to create a liquid crystal thermometer where the color of the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

To See or Not to See

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars identify and discuss key factors that determine how effective color camouflage is in certain habitats.  In this investigative lesson students divide into groups and study light. 
Worksheet
Curated OER

Spectroscopy Homework

For Students 9th - 12th
In this spectroscopy worksheet, students answer 4 questions about spectrometers, spectroscopy, flame tests and the energy of given wavelengths of light.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Let the Sunshine in

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students collect and analyze data to study wavelengths of visible light. They cover Styrofoam cups with three different colors of sun filtering products and shine a lamp directly on the cups. They determine the most effective filtering...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Remote Sensing and the Electromagnetitc Spectrum

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders conclude that each color of the spectrum has a different amount of thermal energy by measuring temperature with a thermometer. They infer that there is an invisible band of the spectrum by measuring temperature beyond the...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Measuring Star Temperatures

For Students 7th - 9th
In this measuring star temperatures, students find the temperature of a star using Planck's curve and the Wein Displacement law. Students also find the peak wavelengths for given stars using Planck's curve.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electromagnetic Spectrum

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders observe light being separated into a color spectrum.  In this electromagnetic lesson students use a diffraction grating to separate light and compare light sources. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Is Your Blue Really Blue? [Metamerism]

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students examine color perception and how it relates to metamerism.  In this color instructional activity students complete a lab activity that shows them the three basic components of color perception. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

(S-4) The Many Colors of Sunlight

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students observe and explore the characteristics of light.
eBook
Rice University

College Physics for AP® Courses

For Students 9th - Higher Ed
Take a look at an organized physics course. The 34-section electronic textbook covers material in AP® Physics 1 and 2. Teachers use the text to supplement lectures and have the class work through the labs. Each section contains...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson- Colors of Stars

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Student describes what happens to the color of a stove burner or a coal as it gets hotter. They use the applet to determine what range of temperatures range give you a red light, what range of temperatures would give you a white light,...