Curated OER
Optical Images
Ninth graders study optics and the law of reflection. In this optical images lesson students use a laser and conceptualize the law of reflection.
Curated OER
Space Shuttle Science
Students study the nomenclature, operation and purpose of America's Space Transportation system. They demonstrate how water can be broken down into its component gases of hydrogen and oxygen by electrolysis. They construct and use the...
Curated OER
Applied Science - Physics Lab
Learners define reflection and refraction. In this Physics lesson, students compare a variety of items to find properties of reflection or refraction. Learners record their findings.
Curated OER
Light 3: All Those Seeing Color, Say Eye!
Students explore the nature of light. They use on-line articles and a worksheet to explore the roles of the eye and brain in the perception of color. They draw and label a diagram illustrating the movement of light.
Exploratorium
Fading Dot
Fuzzy edges cause an image to fade from view in an activity intended to demonstrate how vision works.
Curated OER
The Sky Show
Learners use the internet to gather information to create their own science lesson plan. They choose from optical, wind, or electrical phenomena and use the internet to research information. Finally, they organize the information they...
Curated OER
Telecommunication: Sound Waves
Some interesting diagrams here will pique your students' interest as they discover what is actually inside the telephone that they use every day! The frequency and amplitude labels then lead to further details about sound and waves of...
Physics Classroom
Total Internal Reflection
Scholars work through three different activities applying their knowledge of total internal reflection (TIR). First, they simply identify which diagrams create TIR and which don't. Next, they match different types of boundary behaviors...
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
Miscellaneous Light Topics
In this light topics science worksheet, students read selections about fiber optics, fluorescent light, incandescent light, total internal reflection, polarization, glow-in-the-dark light, and lasers. Students then respond to 32...
Curated OER
Technology and the Human Eye
Fifth graders compare technology and the human eye. In this science lesson, 5th graders label the parts of the human eye and trace the path of light as it travels through the eye.
Curated OER
Focusing on Lenses
Young scholars explore scientific observations by examining the parts of a microscope. In this optics lesson plan, students discuss the importance of a focal point and focal distance when utilizing an optical device such as a microscope....
Curated OER
Create Your Own Kaleidoscopes
Seventh graders create a kaleidoscopes after researching Sir David Brewster and his ideas on light. They recognize the properties of optics from making and using the kaleidoscopes.
Curated OER
What is Retrograde Motion
In this retrograde motion worksheet, students draw a diagram of the night sky by connecting dots to show retrograde motion. They compare retrograde motion to an optical illusion and answer questions about both.
Curated OER
The Most Important Equation in Astronomy!
In this astronomy optics worksheet, students calculate the angular resolution and maximum resolution for given telescope specifics. This worksheet has 3 problems to solve.
Curated OER
HOW SMALL AM I? THE SCIENCE OF NANOTECHNOLOGY
Students study nanotechnology and investigate the dimensions of a nanoscale. In this nanometer study instructional activity students will see how truly small a nanometer is by measuring things such as a piece of hair.
Curated OER
Lenses
Students explore vision by experimenting with lenses in equipment. In this optics instructional activity, students define the different technology that enhances vision such as microscopes, telescopes and cameras. Students experiment with...
Curated OER
Mysterious Melodies
Students play brain tricks on one another. In this brain lesson, students cut out cards to show one another. They try to trick the other person into reading the cards incorrectly and look at other optical illusions.
Curated OER
Optical Illusion Machine
Students explore optical illusions. Using Legos, they construct and motorize a machine that has an axle that's geared up and geared down, complete a worksheet, and answer discussion questions.
Curated OER
Jell-O Optics
Students observe an activity with Jell-O to learn about optics. In this investigative lesson students fill out a handout on the activity that helps them to investigate the index of refraction and the speed of light.
University of Minnesota
Welcome To Your Senses
Sound, sight, taste, touch, and smell—oh the world of senses! What do these five senses have to do with the brain? The answer: everything. Explore how the brain sends and receives messages by having the class participate in several sense...
Curated OER
Size and Shape
Young scholars observe different substances under the microscope. For this space science lesson, students identify the different features of SEM images. They formulate a conclusion about the images of Mars meteorites.
Curated OER
Light Lab
For this light and the eye worksheet, students perform eight tests to show the blind spot in the human eye, to demonstrate Benham's disk, to show how polarized lenses work, to show how light scatters, to demonstrate fiber optic,...
Curated OER
How Far... How Powerfu
Students work with a real optical spectrum of a gamma ray burst afterglow taken at the Keck Observatory. They measure the shifts of spectral lines, deduce the velocity of the astronomical object, and then use Hubble's Law to get its...