Curated OER
See the light
How do light and eyesight function? Read a brief passage explaining the phenomena of light and sight. Then have learners draw arrows showing how a boy in a room with a lamp would be able to see a chair. A mini-experiment suggestion is...
Multiverse
Rainbows of Light: The Visible Light Spectrum
Rainbows can teach us about the visible light spectrum. Learners observe multiple items that clearly display a rainbow to develop better connections. The instructional activity then explains wavelength using a...
Carnegie Mellon University
Consumer Preferences in Lighting
What is a watt? This tongue-twisting, mind-bending question and others are answered through this lesson on the different lighting options available. With the support of a PowerPoint, teach your physical science class about units of...
American Battlefield Trust
The Battle of Saltville
It may be hard to see through the fog of war, but primary sources describing what happened at the Battle of Saltville during the Civil War shed some light on what happened there. Using primary sources, including descriptions from...
Curated OER
Comparing Light Bulbs
An average home produces twice as many emissions as an average car. Teach your class how to reduce energy consumption by replacing standard incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs. Perform an experiment to compare...
Curated OER
Variety Is the Spice of Cellular Life
Do you need to review animal cell structure? Investigate the ways in which different types of cells interact in a common human reflex. Your students can explore the functions of stem cells, consider various illnesses and assess stem...
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...
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Reading the Work of B. Franklin, Printer
Placing Ben Franklin’s ideas about a free press next to those embodied in the First Amendment sheds light on both. Learners interpret and compare two primary sources and then examine them in the light of a contemporary survey about...
Smithsonian Institution
Strength in Solidarity: Coalition of Immokalee Workers and the Campaign for Fair Food
Not all food is created equal. The lesson plan dives into the world of migrant farm workers to show their struggles to earn livable wages and better working conditions. Academics learn why the Coalition of Immokalee Workers was created...
Curated OER
A Collection of Lights
The purpose of the slide show is to help learners understand that there are different types of lights, that they have an on/off switch, and that they can be made out of a variety of materials. There are quite a few nice pictures of lamps...
NASA
The Science of the Sun
There's more to that glowing ball of light in sky than most children realize. From the overall structure of the solar system, to the changing of the seasons, these hands-on lessons open the eyes of young scientists to...
Curated OER
Solar Kit Lesson #3 Parts of a Solar Panel - Part I
A solar cell is similar to a rechargeable battery in many ways. Science lab groups connect each in a series circuit to run a mini motor and then compare and contrast them by answering questions and completing a Venn diagram. This is an...
DiscoverE
Let Your Lights Glow
Put those old holiday lights to good use. Individuals use a section of ornamental lights to create electric circuits. If the lights glow, it's a success; otherwise, it's time to try again!
Curated OER
Use Concept Maps to Teach the Transfer of Energy
Practical tips, lessons, and ideas for teaching the transfer of energy.
DocsTeach
Lewis Hine Shedding Light on Child Labor through Photographs
The Industrial Revolution: long hours, low pay, and unsafe conditions. An eye-opening activity explores the darker side of industry and exposes the realities of child labor with photos. Scholars view four photos from the famous...
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.
Curated OER
Investigating Light
Students study concepts associated with light. In this light lesson, students observe an demonstration by the teacher. They examine reflection and refraction of light and name things that reflect light and those that refract it. They...
Curated OER
The Grating Spectrometer; Light and Wavelengths
Young scholars create a paper model that demonstrates wave interference for 3 wavelength from 2 sources. In this light and wave instructional activity, students use a real spectrometer and observe and measure the wavelength of spectral...
Exploratorium
Water Sphere Lens
With a Florence flask or fishbowl, make a double convex lens and use it to examine an image. Because of the refraction, the image will be inverted. A simple explanation is provided here for you to share with your class as they...
Curated OER
Light Week
First graders experiment with prisms to explore sequence of colors of light created.
Kenan Fellows
Electricity: Sources, Usage, Challenges, and the Future
What does the future of energy look like? Junior engineers collaborate to discover a solution to the global energy crisis during a very hands-on lesson plan. The unit focuses on learning through collaboration to develop a deep...
Curated OER
Sunrise/Sunset
Third graders discovver what causes the dramatic colors of a sunset by seeing the changing color of light as it passes through a clear container of water to which milk is gradually added. They measure the liquids and observe what happens...
Curated OER
Light and Geometric Optics
It's time to see the light with a unit that focuses on light and geometric optics, including concave and convex mirrors. A variety of experiments, worksheets, and online activities are included.
Science 4 Inquiry
Introducing the Types of Energy
Young scientists explore many different types of energy including light, heat, nuclear, sound, potential, and more. They match the types of energy and identify when energy transfers from one type to another.