Illusions are what your mind makes them. Learners view several optical illusions. After each illusion the resource describes what is seen and the potential connection to evolution of the brain. Illusions include seeing different objects...

Here is a great science lesson. It extends the concept of vision into the area of optical illusions, perspective, and tessellation. This well-designed plan has tons of great activities, utilizes interesting video, and should lead to a...

Does the moon change size? It sure looks like it! Two optical illusions are suggested as an explanation: Ebbinghaus and Ponzo. However, there are problems with both of these. Convergence micropsia may answer the question, but many...

Pupils investigate the concept of an optical illusion and how they are used. They conduct an information search of how the eye works. The information is used in order to set the context upon the creation of a personal optical illusion.

Students examine and create a tool that enables them to explore the scientific principle the Moire Effect. Using markers, paper, and scissors, they create an optical illusion that involves superimposing a grid of lines over another...

Students explore the composition of 3-D optical illusions by analyzing and combining 2-D visual elements graphically in banner form. They dissect the designs to undercover the mathematical elements of the illusion.

What the eye perceives can be deceiving. Learners can make a spinner that creates an optical illusion by merging two images. They can experiment with ways to make them in different shapes and styles to get varied results.

What the eye perceives can be deceiving. Learners can make a spinner that creates an optical illusion by merging two images. They can experiment with ways to make them in different shapes and styles to get varied results.

You will need an electric drill and some Velcro™ in order to have this activity available for your class. It is, however, an intriguing display of optical illusion. After watching a spinning disk (provided), viewers look at one of their...

Did you see that or did I imagine it? Optical illusions are often created with mirrors and lenses, and here is a presentation that covers many different types of mirrors and lenses and how they work. Flat, concave, and convex mirrors, as...

Who would not want an opportunity to taste jellybeans in class?  During this investigation, life science learners hold their noses as they take a taste test and find that our perception of flavor is connected with our sense of smell. In...

"There are no straight lines in the Parthenon." The series concludes with a look at the optical illusions involved in the engineering of the Parthenon. Mixing animated images and current video, the producers bring alive this famous...

Experiment with light and color using the activity from this film. Learners can make their own spinning discs to demonstrate the principles. This is a hands on way to explore color and optical illusion. As an added bonus, your scientists...

Experiment with light and color using the activity from this film. Learners can make their own spinning discs to demonstrate the principles. This is a hands on way to explore color and optical illusion. As an added bonus, your scientists...

Put a new twist on your collection of optical illusion activities. Affix the linked printable spiral to a drill, record player, or some other rotating tool. Have learners stare at the spinning disk for only 15 seconds and then look away....

Students view, identify, and construct four optical illusions. In this optical illusions lesson, students are introduced to four types of optical illusions. They construct their own illusions.

Learners draw an optical illusion. In this optical illusion lesson, students create the optical illusion vase. Learners draw a profile and repeat the drawing in reverse creating the vase image.

Students investigate optical illusions. In this optical illusions lesson, students explore perception. Students analyze optical illusions and determine common misconceptions.

Is the entire moon an optical illusion? We know it exists, but do we really know what color it is? The video explains what color we perceive the moon to be and its actual color. 

Op art is fun to look at, and it's fun to make. Kids learn about the origins of op art and the op art master, M.C. Escher. They view simple to complex examples of op art to see how it works and then create an optical piece of their own....

The focus of a playlist on the history of film shifts from the development of early film technology to techniques used by filmmakers like Georges Melies. Melies, a former magician, used dazzling illusions and tricky editing to create...

Learners explore optical illusions. In this Applied Science lesson, students view optical illusions and record the data of what they see. Learners graph the data that they collect.

What have our eyes and brains evolved to see? Discover the way our photo receptors and brains assemble visual information into the three-dimensional world we see around us.