Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Telescoping Periscope
Ahoy, matey! Here is an engineering expedition that mini mariners are sure to be swept away by! After reading a brief description and history of periscopes, they work in crews to construct one. Use this activity to enhance a lesson on...
CK-12 Foundation
Cassegrain Telescope
How does a telescope magnify images? Learners first watch a tutorial explaining the basic construction of a telescope. Then they interact with a simulation that allows for changes in the location and diameter of the reflecting mirrors....
Curated OER
How Telescopes Work
Students experiment with water and mirrors to better understand how telescopes work. In this telescopes lesson plan, students use water and mirrors to see how mirrors reflect light and create a magnified image.
Curated OER
Reflection and Refraction
Life is only a reflection of what we allow ourselves to see. The lesson includes three experiments on light reflection, light refraction, projection, lenses, and optical systems. Each experiment builds off the ones before and encourages...
Curated OER
Online Exploration: Telescopes From the Ground Up
Students explore a web-based illustrated text and interactive graphics to determine the relationship between the operation of telescopes and light. optics. They work in small groups to become an expert on one of the ten eras of telescope...
Curated OER
The KAO Telescope
Students explore the basic principles of the operation of the NASA's KAO telescope. They construct a simplified model of it using film canisters and other everyday objects. Step by step directions are included in plan.
Curated OER
Microscopes, Telescopes, and Cameras
In this lenses worksheet, students will explain how microscopes work by completing 4 short answer questions. Students will compare refracting telescopes with reflecting telescopes by writing the terms given under the correct column. Then...
Curated OER
Reflect and Refract
Students explore light. In this properties of light lesson, students define the terms refract, reflect, and diffract after listening to the teacher's description. Students listen to the book Light Magic and observe a spoon in a glass of...
Curated OER
Mirror, Mirror
Young scholars investigate the Law of Reflection and how light travels. In this reflection lesson students produce data from their experiment then create a pencil tracing.
Curated OER
Practical Illustrations of Astronomical Concepts Relating to the Solar System
Eighth graders are introduced to concepts related to the Solar System. In groups, they participate in an experiment in which they must describe a ray of light and how it travels. They draw a diagram of the electromagnetic spectrum and...
Curated OER
Telescopes Then And Now
In this telescopes worksheet, students will read information about the differences between the early telescopes and the modern telescopes. Then students will complete 2 short answer questions.
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...
Thoughtful Learning
Setting and Reaching Goals
An activity boosts self-management through goal setting and reflection. Scholars choose one goal they wish to obtain by the end of the week. Participants brainstorm ways to make their goal a reality then reflect on whether or not their...
Curated OER
Tools of Modern Astronomy
Students differentiate refracting and reflecting telescopes. In this earth science activity, students explain how they are closely connected to satellites. They complete the concept map at the end of the activity.
Curated OER
Radiation From Space
In this space worksheet, students will review different aspects of light, sound, and radio waves in space and the use of different types of telescopes. This worksheet has 17 fill in the blank statements.
Curated OER
Astronomy
A broad sampling of material related to stars is covered here. You will want to review each question to see if it corresponds to your curriculum. The formatting is inconsistent, but easily corrected if you use the information to create...
Curated OER
Is There Ice on Mercury?
For this ice on Mercury worksheet, students read about the data collected from the NASA Messenger and the Arecibo Radio Telescope indicating the possibility of ice on Mercury. Students solve 6 problems including finding the scale of the...
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Spitzer Sees a New Ring Around Saturn
In this Saturn's rings worksheet, students read about the Spitzer telescope that detected a new ring around Saturn. Students solve 6 problems including determining the formula for the area of a circle, finding the volume of the new ring...
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Light Reflections
Students explore light. In this physical science light lesson, students display objects on a projection screen and investigate how light absorbs, refracts, transmits and reflects. Students discuss common features of light based on their...
Curated OER
The Changing Atmosphere of Pluto
In this atmosphere of Pluto instructional activity, students use an equation for the orbit of Pluto to determine the semi-major axis, the semi-minor axis, the ellipticity of the orbit, the aphelion and the perihelion. They also determine...
Curated OER
Spacd Day:Probing For Knowledge
Students investigate the uses and purpose of the Hubble telescope. They create a model of the telescope and conduct research about the history behind the invention of it. Students use the information in order to create a context for the...
University of Colorado
Rings and Things
Galileo first observed Saturn's rings in 1610. Through the use of a flashlight and baby powder, classes see how they can observe the rings of the outer planets from far away. Another demonstration shows how these rings, made of ice and...