University of Colorado
Designing a Spectroscopy Mission
Design a mission over the rainbow. Small groups spend several weeks together determining a mission related to spectroscopy. The teams build spectrographs and analyze the design to determine whether it will carry out the mission. At the...
CK-12 Foundation
Atomic Colors
Stars are too hot to visit, so how do we know what different stars are made of? An enlightening simulation uses a spectrum graph to show the various electron emission and absorption reactions. Scholars experiment with both helium and...
Pingry School
Chemical Equilibrium
We know about the light spectrum, the age spectrum, and sound spectrum, but do chemical reactions also occur on a spectrum? Young scientists experiment with partial reactions on a spectrum and observe the color changes. Then, they...
McGraw Hill
Stellar Spectroscopy Interactive
Stars seem to be a far away mystery... but it turns out we know much more about stars than one would think! An engaging lesson shows learners how to read a light spectrum to determine the temperature and chemical makeup of a star....
University of Colorado
Marvelous Martian Mineralogy
All you need is light. Groups use a reflectometer to find the reflectivity of specific chemical compounds. Learners compare the graphs of the reflectivity of the known compounds to Martian soil. Using the graph comparisons, scholars...
University of Colorado
Enceladus, I Barely Knew You
Use spectral knowledge to make discoveries on a distant moon. Small groups gather information from images of one of Saturn's moons. The moon orbits within the E-ring made up of mainly water ice. Using information about the composition of...
Curated OER
Do Some Research: Light Spectrum
Students explore both the scientifc world of the light spectrum and the research world of the library and/or internet in this activity, which asks a question about the light spectrum to be answered with student research. There is a space...
Curated OER
Honors Chemistry I
In this honor chemistry I worksheet, students use all available resources to answer each question given. Students apply their knowledge of light, quantum theory of light, Bohr's model, photoelectric theory.
Curated OER
Color
Students study the elements of color in paint and light. In this color science lesson, students discuss colors in their world, white light, and rainbows. Students mix three primary paint colors to make various secondary colors. Students...
Curated OER
Energy: Light -- Spinning Color Wheel
Second graders make spinning color wheels to determine how energy effects what colors look like. They paint or color a color wheel with the seven colors of the spectrum. Next, the spin the wheel to determine what happens. In order to...
Curated OER
Albedo and Irradiation of Surfaces
Here is a physical science activity where pupils place thermometers inside of a white and a black paper pocket and place them under a lamp. They record and compare the temperature increase over a ten-minute period. Have your class...
Wild BC
The Greenhouse Effect: The Role of CO2
Though this is meant to be second in a two-part lesson, the two are not dependent on each other. Pupils play the roles of visible light rays, light or dark surfaces, and carbon dioxide molecules. They interact and react according to...
Curated OER
Spectral Lines
Slides and slides of emission spectra bring this topic to light for your physics class! Exited electrons returning to lower energy levels is offered as the cause of emission spectra. In summary, viewers learn that we can determine the...
Curated OER
Medieval Architecture
While this resource is about architecture, it isn't about art. It demonstrates the differences between Romanesque and Gothic architecture to show changes in the socio-political spectrum of the time. Images and good discussion questions...
Curated OER
Picture This!
Students compare and contrast different types of light on the electromagnetic spectrum. In this investigative instructional activity students create a photographic image that demonstrates the infrared, ultraviolet and polarization...
Curated OER
Stellar Fingerprints: the Spectra of Stars
Students explain how an element can be identified using emission spectra. They relate the emission spectrum of hydrogen to its absorption spectrum and identify hydrogen absorption lines in the spectrum of stars.
Curated OER
(S-4) The Many Colors of Sunlight
Students observe and explore the characteristics of light.
Curated OER
Remote Sensing
Ninth graders participate in a variety of activities designed to reinforce the concept of light and the electromagnetic spectrum. They research and analyze data from remotely sensed images. They present their findings in a PowerPoint...
Curated OER
I'll Build You A Rainbow
Sixth graders conduct a variety of experiments to explore types of light and the concept of refraction. They observe objects in water, use water and prisms to create rainbows and combine light filtered through colored cellophane to...
Curated OER
Reflecting Light
Students are introduced to the reflective properties of light and use mirrors to make light from a source reflect onto a specific target. They take turns and record the amount of time it took to correctly reflect the light.
Curated OER
Measuring Star Temperatures
For this measuring star temperatures, students find the temperature of a star using Planck's curve and the Wein Displacement law. Students also find the peak wavelengths for given stars using Planck's curve.
Curated OER
Electromagnetic Radiation
Young scholars explore the nature of electromagnetic spectrum through a series of experiments. In this physics lesson, students determine how light behaves under certain circumstances. They explain how humans perceive colors.
Curated OER
Diversity: Using Light to Filter Prejudices
Learners use physics to discuss diversity. In this social interaction lesson, students use their knowledge of colors and filters to relate it to stereotyping and prejudices.
Curated OER
Stellar Spectral Fingerprints
Pupils listen as the teacher introduces Newton's early discovery of the diffraction of light. They use multiple sources of light (fluorescent, incandescent, sunlight, etc) to bend the light. They first use a prism then a diffraction...