Curated OER
A DISAPPEARING ACT Astronomy: Do Stars Always Shine?
Learners observe why stars are not visible during the day with a classroom demonstration using an index card punched with holes.
Curated OER
The Sky Show
Students use lecture and research to answer the question: Why is the sky blue? students research a variety of other sky phenomena, chart their observations and participate in experiments.
Curated OER
Sea Ice Research
Students study sea ice and its importance in climate and climate change. They discuss sea ice as a presence of a food source for marine animals in the arctic and complete a lab activity. After completing the lab, they watch a video...
Curated OER
Microscopes and Telescopes
Students analyze a microscope and study what they do. In this investigative lesson students study how microscopes were first invented, and how ray diagrams are used in conjunction.
Curated OER
Urban Impact on Chollas Creek (California): A Field Study
Students, in groups, take samples from a creek and keep a field journal on their samples. They also perform tests on their samples.
Curated OER
Settling Rates of Different Size Particles
High schoolers discover how and why the settling rate of particles differs with the size of the particles. Using different soil samples, they calculate the amount of time it takes for a sample to settle in water for up to forty minutes....
Curated OER
The Vocabulary of Space
Students build their knowledge and understanding of vocabulary related to space. In this space lesson, students discuss four categories of words and phrases related to space.
Curated OER
A Distant View
Students investigate the essential concepts of how lenses work to magnify vision, and then build simple telescopes to demonstrate their understanding. They write a description of how their telescope could be improved and how it works.
Teach Engineering
Tell Me Doc—Will I Get Cancer?
Can you beat the odds of cancer? In the first installment of a seven-part series, future biomedical engineers consider how to detect and diagnose cancer. An article on biosensors provides useful information toward this goal.
Curated OER
Block the Sun, Not the Fun
Students discover ways to protect themselves from the sun. They identify diseases that are caused by too much sun exposure. They take a quiz and measure their progress throughout the year.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Physical Science: Refraction of Light
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Discusses refraction of light in matter and how light changes its speed and angle of refraction according to the type of medium it is travelling through.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Observing Refraction of Light
This video segment adapted from Shedding Light on Science illustrates how light changes speed, and thus direction, in a process known as refraction. Includes background reading and discussion questions. [2:05]
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Physics/light
Here is a large collection of simple science class activities for understanding the physics of light.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Refraction and Light Bending
This article from Khan Academy provides information about refraction and light bending. This information is intended for the Class 12 Physics Course (India).
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: The Refraction of Light Through the Human Eye
This five-question quiz relating to refraction of light in the human eye.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Physical Science: Refraction
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Refraction of light in matter and how light changes its speed and angle of refraction according to the type of medium it is travelling through.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Diamonds: The Science Behind the Sparkle
This illustrated essay from the NOVA Web site explains why the atomic structure of a diamond slows down light and produces a sparkle more brilliant than from any other colorless substance.
Optical Society
Optical Society of America: Exploring Science of Light: Intermediate Activities
A collection of intermediate experiments, for students aged ten and up, for exploring the magnification, reflection, and refraction of light.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Physical Science: Reflection of Light
[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.
American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History: Ology: See the Light
Reflection, refraction, and the colors that make up white light is explored through lab activities after reading a brief background about light energy.
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: Physical Science: Light and Optics
Students will investigate the properties of light waves. They will learn about the different types of electromagnetic waves and mechanical waves, and investigate the phenomena of reflection, refraction, interference, and diffraction.
Scholastic
Scholastic: Study Jams! Science: Light Absorption, Reflection, & Refraction
A video and a short quiz on the properties of light.
Open Curriculum
Open Curriculum: Refraction
Students can study this article to help them understand the concept of refraction and index of refraction.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Measuring Sugar Content of a Liquid With a Laser Pointer
Here's a project that shows you how to use a laser pointer and some knowledge of physics to figure out the concentration of sugar dissolved in a liquid.