Curated OER
Solar-Powered Prints
Combine art and science with this fabulous lesson plan where your class will create solar-powered artwork! They will create a cyanotype, using photo-sensitive paper, sun, and water. A list of necessary materials is provided.
NASA
Things Are Not Always What They Seem
Science is magic that works. Magical color-changing beads and a coffee can that follows voice commands are just two examples of magic tricks that rely on science. After completing a hands-on activity and an experiment investigating the...
Curated OER
Color Change in Leaves
High schoolers identify the different leaf pigments and colors. In this biology activity, students perform chromatography to separate them. They explain how light affects green leaf colors and causes falling leaves in autumn.
Curated OER
Refraction B2—When is Light Reflected Internally?
Physics is phun in this instructional activity. Young physicists use a lightbox to test how and where light is refracted and reflected as it travels through transparent materials. Angles of incidence and refraction, sine of both...
Curated OER
Fall 2003 Midterm Exam #3
Let there be light! When your physics learners take this midterm exam, light will be their focus. They will show what they know about electromagnetic waves, interference, refraction, reflection, lenses, prisms, and more! The test is...
American Museum of Natural History
Draw a Monarch
Five steps walk scholars through the process of drawing a Monarch butterfly. Participants research the insect, make observations, trace, then color.
Curated OER
Mineral Identification
In this mineral identification lesson plan, students analyze 14 minerals and test their physical properties. They test the color, luster, streak, hardness and breakage of each mineral. Students answer 5 questions about the physical...
Curated OER
Igneous Rock Lab
In this igneous rock worksheet, students answer 5 questions about igneous rocks and then use a website to find the 6 textures of igneous rock. Students record data such as the color, the texture, if it's intrusive or extrusive, if its...
Curated OER
How Do The Colors of Light Mix?
Students investigate the mixing of light. They form a hypotheses to reason why color changes occur and they write conclusions and ask new questions arising from the investigation. Students identify the primary and complementary colors of...
Curated OER
Light and Optics
In this light and optics worksheet, 11th graders fill in 7 blanks about the nature of light, draw 9 diagrams to illustrate reflection, refraction, lenses and color.
Cornell University
Spectral Analysis with DVDs and CDs
Build a spectrometer to analyze properties of light. Scholars examine the spectrum from CDs and DVDs from two different light sources. Using the spectrum, they work to identify different elements.
Exploratorium
Pixels, Pictures, and Phones
Take a real close look at your phone screen. What do you see? Here's an activity that provides guidance on how to look at a smart phone screen in order to see the pixels and to see how the phone creates colors and motion on the...
American Institute of Architects
Architecture: It's Elementary!—First Grade
Build an interest and appreciation for architecture in your young learners with this fun 10-lesson art unit. Engaging children in using their five senses, the class first observes the environment around them, paying...
Teach Engineering
Skin and the Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation
Though UV radiation can damage skin, it isn't all bad. The third installment in a six-part series allows the class to study the structure and function of skin. They learn about the different types of skin cancer and the SPF rating...
Curated OER
Now You See Me, Now You Don't
Bioluminescence fascinates most upper elementary scientists. Display images of different glowing deep-sea organisms and discuss their environment. Young biologists then experiment with images and different colors of filtered light. In...
Curated OER
Wavelengths of Light
Explore physical science by participating in a visual spectrum experiments. Budding scientists identify the colors in the color spectrum and view the colors in class by utilizing cellophane, flash lights, and other arts and crafts...
Curated OER
DNA Coloring - Transcription and Translation
In this DNA worksheet, students review the transcription and translation processes. Students label and color the different parts of a DNA strand. This worksheet has 7 fill in the blank questions.
Exploratorium
Give and Take
Heat-sensitive liquid crystal sheets are available in a variety of sizes and temperature ranges. Purchase a class set of hand-held sheets and color half of each with a silver permanent marking pen. Learners of light can hold them under a...
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...
NASA
Supernova Chemistry
By measuring the wavelength, frequency, and intensity of electromagnetic radiation, scientists determine the temperature, density, and composition of far away items. Scholars rotate through ten lab stations using a spectroscope at each...
Curated OER
Light
Light is such a fascinating subject. This lesson does a great job of illuminating the mysteries of light for your young scientists. A series of demonstrations which are explained in the plan should help your charges to understand how...
Curated OER
UV Beads
Students recognize preventitive measures that can be taken to reduce the risks associated with exposure to solar radiation. They explain why solar radiation can be harmful. They utilize beads that turn color when exposed to UV rays. Good...
Curated OER
Light
Students explore light. In this light wave physics lesson, students construct periscopes, kaleidoscopes, color wheels, and pinhole cameras. Students observe and record characteristics of light demonstrated through the use of...
Curated OER
Bubble-ology
Students observe the visible spectrum while observing light hitting the surface of bubbles. They blow large bubbles and observe how the colors change.