Curated OER
Light - Stop Faking It!
This well-designed presentation covers many important aspects of the science behind light. In it, pupils view slides that have a lot of the important vocabulary associated with science, slides of famous scientists who made important...
Cornell University
Light Waves: Grades 6-8
Explore the behavior of light with different materials. Collaborative groups determine whether certain materials absorb, reflect, diffract, or transmit light waves. They then measure the angle of incidence and angle of reflection.
Cornell University
Light Waves: Grades 9-12
Explore the behavior of light waves with a lab activity. Scholars build new vocabulary through experimentation and observation. Using different mediums, they model reflection, refraction, transmission, diffusion, and scattering of light.
Bowels Physics
Light, Reflection, and Mirrors
Explore the connection of light, reflection, and mirrors. A comprehensive lesson introduces the basics of light in relation to reflection and mirrors. After an explanation of the vocabulary, the presentation shows how to create ray...
It's About Time
Refraction of Light
Don't shine like a diamond, refract light like a diamond. Young scientists use an acrylic block and a laser light to observe refraction. Advanced scholars figure the sine of the angles of reflection and incidence as well as mastering...
It's About Time
Reflected Light
The lesson allows young scientists to use lasers and mirrors to study reflected light. A reading passage and homework question assess learning, while additional material introduces extension activities.
Curated OER
Light and Optics
In this light and optics worksheet, students match the light and optics vocabulary with their definitions. Students match 21 words to their definitions.
Exploratorium
Inverse Square Law
The inverse square law is revealed when your class participates in this activity. They move a graph paper or perfboard square back and forth in a square of light to see how the intensity changes. You will definitely want to add this...
Curated OER
Electromagnetic Energy and Its Spectrum
Your older elementary learners investigate electromagnetic energy and the electromagnetic spectrum. They will observe 7 items represented in the electromagnetic spectrum and make a poster of all the things the items have in common. After...
Exploratorium
Blue Sky
Use a container full of water as a prism and show that as light is bent, the individual colors from different wavelengths become visible. This explains why the sky appears to be blue midday, and why as the sun nears the horizon, it looks...
Texas Instruments
Light and Day
Pupils explore the concept of collecting data as they collect data on their graphing calculator about time, temperature, and light. Learners plot the data and create histograms and box and whisker plots to analyze the data.
Curated OER
Light
Students explore light. In this light wave physics lesson, students construct periscopes, kaleidoscopes, color wheels, and pinhole cameras. Students observe and record characteristics of light demonstrated through the use of these tools.
Curated OER
The Effects of Over Exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation on the Growth of Plants and Bacteria
High schoolers investigate the effects of UV light and ozone on plant and bacteria growth. In this ultraviolet light and ozone lesson plan, students grow bean and mustard greens to study the effects of UV light and ozone on the plant...
Curated OER
Can You See the Light?
Learners investigate the transmission of light energy. In this light energy lesson, students observe bubbles using different colored filters and record their observations. They also look at a light source through various materials and...
Curated OER
Raising Plants
Young scholars investigate the life cycle of plants by growing their own in class. In this botany lesson plan, students practice using plant vocabulary while they grow their own Wisconsin Fast Plants. Young scholars collaboratively...
Exploratorium
Spectra
Make a class set of spectrum tubes by first purchasing some diffraction grating, and then constructing the tools with mailing tubes or shoe boxes. If you aren't up for assembling them, you could purchase prepared spectroscope kits. This...
Curated OER
Being Shadowed
What causes a shadow to appear? Have kindergartners and first graders explore shadows with a fun science activity. After reading a short paragraph about light sources, they draw a shadow for a little girl based on the location of the...
International Technology Education Association
Make a Pinhole Camera
With a little light and a lot of time, you can create some amazing images. This NASA-related task instructs pupils to build a pinhole camera. The lesson provides suggestions for different pictures to try with the pinhole camera and...
Curated OER
Light and Vision
Young scholars explore how light affects vision. In this light instructional activity, students construct a shoe box model to represent an eye. Experiments are performed with various light sources. Young scholars draw conclusions about...
Curated OER
The Grating Spectrometer; Light and Wavelengths
Students create a paper model that demonstrates wave interference for 3 wavelength from 2 sources. In this light and wave activity, students use a real spectrometer and observe and measure the wavelength of spectral lines. Students then,...
PBS
Star Power
Let there be light—or maybe not. Pupils learn about light pollution with an investigation of constellations. They create constellation boxes and experiment with different levels of light. Observations are then made about the lighting in...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Understanding Wave Motion - Slinky vs. Snaky: Which Spring is Dominant?
Ride the wave to an understanding of refraction! The first in a series of two inquiry-based lessons challenges learners to create transverse waves with two different types of springs. As their wave hits an object, they observe the change...
Curated OER
Let There Be Light
Students explore the relationship between light and color. They explore the NineColours computer program, blend colors, create a slideshow of hues of colors, and conduct an experiment using a flashlight and colored cellophane.
Curated OER
Physics: Light and Sound
Students explore the concepts of light waves and sound waves. In this physics instructional activity, students complete activities that require them to investigate how light and sound waves travel.