Activity
Exploratorium

Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Disappearing Glass Rods

For Students 9th - 10th
In this activity, you will make a glass object disappear by eliminating the reflection from and the refraction by the glass object.
Website
Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies

Mocomi: Reflection and Refraction of Light

For Students 3rd - 9th
What happens when a ball is thrown against a wall? This narrative illustrates how light is reflected or refracted in different circumstances.
Handout
Wikimedia

Wikipedia: Refracting Telescope

For Students 9th - 10th
Wikipedia provides detailed information on refracting telescopes, including an image, technical difficulties, and a hyperlinked list to info on notable refracting telescopes.
Interactive
Physics Classroom

The Physics Classroom: Reflection and Mirrors: Optics Bench Interactive

For Students 9th - 10th
Find out about the physics behind those fun-house mirrors. Students manipulate a virtual optics bench to explore the images formed by mirrors and lenses.
Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Physical Science: Reflection of Light

For Students 4th - 5th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Considers the reflection of light from both smooth and rough surfaces and the law of reflection.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Helping Students Discover Total Internal Reflection

For Teachers 9th - 10th
After students have learned the basic relationship of Snell's Law, they practice applying it to a situation. Then they are given another situation where it doesn't work, which turns out to be one in which total internal reflection occurs.
Website
University of Chicago

Telescopes at Yerkes Observatory / Virtual Tour

For Students 9th - 10th
This site describes the difference between reflective and refractive telescopes and includes a virtual tour of Yerkes Observatory which houses the largest refracting telescope in the world.
Interactive
Walter Fendt

Walter Fendt: Reflection and Refraction of Light

For Students 9th - 10th
Defines the refraction of light and provides an applet for investigating it.
Handout
Georgia State University

Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Reflection and Refraction

For Students 9th - 10th
Reflection and refraction are explained with an experiment that uses a sheet of paper, cardboard, and other common materials.
Article
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: The Beginnings of the Telescope

For Students 9th - 10th
This animated essay from the NOVA Web site examines the design of Galileo's refracting telescope and Sir Isaac Newton's reflecting telescope.
Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12 Exploration Series: Simulations: Physics: Diamond Cut

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login Required] A simulation investigating why a diamond shines by looking at refraction, reflection, and total internal reflection.
Unit Plan
Georgia Department of Education

Ga Virtual Learning: Geometric Optics

For Students 9th - 10th
This interactive unit will help students to understand the basics of geometric optics. Learn what happens when light strikes the boundary between two media as well as the difference between a real and virtual image? Also explore the law...
Handout
Georgia State University

Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Methods of Polarization

For Students 9th - 10th
At this college physics department site, the polarization of light is explained and illustrated as well as the primary methods of polarization (scattering, reflection, and refraction).
Unit Plan
University of New South Wales (Australia)

University of New South Wales: School of Physics: Physclips: Geometrical Optics

For Students 9th - 10th
Physiclips thoroughly presents geometrical optics concepts like rays, refraction, Snell's law, total internal reflection, dispersion, mirrors, and lenses with animations and film clips.
Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Learning Light's Properties

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students learn the basic properties of light--the concepts of light absorption, transmission, reflection and refraction, as well as the behavior of light during interference. Lecture information briefly addresses the electromagnetic...
Activity
Optical Society

Optical Society of America: Exploring Science of Light: Intermediate Activities

For Students 9th - 10th
A collection of intermediate experiments, for students aged ten and up, for exploring the magnification, reflection, and refraction of light.
Activity
Discovery Education

Discovery Education: 3 M Young Scientist Lab: Gelatin Optic Fibers

For Students 3rd - 8th
Strips of gelatin dessert and a laser pointer demonstrate total internal reflection.
Interactive
University of Colorado

University of Colorado: Ph Et Interactive Simulations: Bending Light

For Students 9th - 10th
Explore bending of light between two media with different indices of refraction. See how changing from air to water to glass changes the bending angle. Play with prisms of different shapes and make rainbows.
Unknown Type
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Light Rays

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a quiz covering reflected, refracted, shadow, and camera rays.
Graphic
Georgia State University

Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Sound Propagation

For Students 9th - 10th
This page and the many pages which are indexed to focus on the behaviors of sound which characterize it as a wave. Reflection, refraction, interference, diffraction and more are clearly illustrated and explained.
Website
Ducksters

Ducksters: Physics for Kids: Wave Behavior

For Students 1st - 9th
Kids learn about the behavior of waves in the science of physics including reflection, refraction, diffraction, polarization, absorption, and interference.
Activity
Optical Society

Optical Society of America: Optics for Kids: Total Internal Reflection

For Students 9th - 10th
An investigation into the total internal reflection of light, using a laser pointer. Accompanied by an explanation of what's happening, a discussion of Snell's Law, and links to additional information.
Website
Other

Propagation of Light Using Geometry

For Students 9th - 10th
A discussion of Christian Huygens' contribution to wave optics, and particularly to our understanding of the reflection and refraction of light. Excellent diagrams and a geometric proof on why the law of reflection is mathematically...
Activity
Exploratorium

Exploratorium: Critical Angle

For Students 3rd - 8th
Students can see light reflected and refracted in this demonstration. They will also discover the total internal reflection of light.

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