University of Colorado
Graphing the Rainbow
Here's a colorful resource about spectra. An intriguing lesson teaches pupils about diffraction grating and about absorption and emission spectra. They see how to represent spectra using line plots and try out this skill in a matching...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Light
Let there be light in your classroom with a video that explains that light travels in waves, the electromagnetic spectrum contains seven colors, and the color of an object depends on which light waves it reflects and absorbs. With...
Urbana School District
Optics
Don't worry, optics is a light topic! The presentation covers reflection, refraction, fiber optics, mirages, prisms, rainbows, dispersion, mirrors, lenses, telescopes, diffraction, the human eye, and much, much more. Presentation is the...
Curated OER
THE MANY COLORS OF SUNLIGHT
Students examine rainbow components, spectral colors, colors perceived by the eye, hot solids, glowing rarefied gas, absorption, that light is a wave, and optics.
Mr. E. Science
Light
Where does bad light end up? In a prism! The presentation covers light, mirrors, lenses, and the structure of the eye. It also provides explanations of reflection, refraction, concave and convex mirrors and lenses, and a comparison of...
Colorado State University
What Is Beyond the Rainbow?
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.
Colorado State University
Can You See Beyond the Rainbow?
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.
PHET
Bending Light
Different colors of the spectrum travel at different speeds through media, causing them to refract at different angles—which allows humans to see their colors. Through a simulation, pupils see how air, water, and other media bend light....
Curated OER
Color
Students study the elements of color in paint and light. In this color science lesson, students discuss colors in their world, white light, and rainbows. Students mix three primary paint colors to make various secondary colors. Students...
Curated OER
What You See Is What You Get
Young scholars explore light and colors. They see how white light is made up of various colors. They need to have some background knowledge about prisms, light wave lengths, and behavior of light, primary and secondary colors, and ratios.
Curated OER
Rainbow milk
This activity explores the sense of sight, nutritional needs, and the importance of milk and dairy in our diet. Students discuss color mixing, surface tension and rainbow milk. Students actively mix three colors of food coloring with...
Curated OER
Container Gardening: A Rainbow Garden
In this container gardening a rainbow garden worksheet, students look in a catalog or garden center to find flowers in every color of the rainbow, then list the names of the plants.
Curated OER
Prism and Light
In this changing light worksheet, 5th graders use crayons to draw what happens to a beam of light when it enters a prism. Students then write the colors of the rainbow for each letter listed.
Exploratorium
Bridge Light
An illuminating activity demonstrates how interference of light waves creates a pattern. Using Plexiglas™ and construction paper, participants see rainbows appear as they twist or press against the plastic plates. After the activity, you...
Curated OER
Color and Light Spectrum Demonstrations
Students explore the light spectrum. The teacher uses holographic diffraction grafting film on an overhead to demonstrate the true nature of color. After observing a vivid rainbow, students recognize that white light is composed of all...
Curated OER
Rainbow Electrophoresis Lab
Learners are introduced to the principles of gel electrophoresis. They practice loading gels and pipetting. For this laboratory activity, food color is separated into constituent pigments. The lab can be run with standard...
Curated OER
Color and Spectrum
Students examine the spectra of light sources that have similar colors. In this light activity students complete an activity using various lights in the classroom and discuss the colors and the heat generated.
American Chemical Society
pH and Color Change
Did you know strong bases can feel slippery and slimy? Lesson allows scholars to practice using the pH scale to identify acids and bases and their strengths. By changing the concentration of an acid and a base, they create the entire...
Discovery Education
Through the Looking Glass
Turning white light into colors only takes a little scientific know how! Young scholars create their own spectroscope in a hands-on activity exploring the properties of light. Using a diffraction grating, they discover how white light...
Curated OER
Monet's Magical Garden
Students study classic paintings by masters like Monet. In this art history lesson, students listen to the story Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert and sing flower songs with the rest of their class. Students examine the painting The...
Curated OER
Color at Light Speed
Rainbow science anyone? learners put the color specturm, frequency, light waves, and wavelengths into a light speed context. They use algebraic formulas to determine the speed of each light wave length. A great way to connect math and...
Curated OER
Enlightening Explorations, Part III
Sixth graders continue their examination of light. In groups, they make rainbows and examine the spectrum of visible light. They travel between various stations recording their observations about the behaviors of light. To end the...
Curated OER
Diversity of Colors
Young scholars investigate color diversity by experimenting with jelly beans. In this color spectrum lesson, students observe colored jelly beans through different filters and light sources to change the existing look of the bean....
Curated OER
Science Experiment: Take a Rainbow's Temperature
In this science experiment worksheet, students gather materials and perform an investigation using thermometers and prisms. Students are asked if red is hotter than blue. They answer 6 questions.