Curated OER
Exploring Microscopes
Students explore the parts of a microscope. For this microscope lesson, students examine simple and compound microscopes. Students discover how the parts of a microscope work together to generate an image.
Curated OER
Fish Tank Optics- Learning How Light Travels
Learners explore light waves, refraction, and reflection. In this light lesson plan, students observe how light moves by using a flashlight. Learners observe refraction and reflection.
Curated OER
Light
Students examine how light waves travel. In this properties of light instructional activity, students observe how light travels in water, how light is reflected and refracted, and how light is pure energy.
Curated OER
Waves Worksheet
In this light waves activity, middle schoolers complete 7 short answer questions where they analyze and record findings about the properties of light waves.
Curated OER
Light and Vision
In this light and vision worksheet, students will review the characteristics of light including how the eyes use light to see. This worksheet has 9 fill in the blank, 8 true or false, 9 multiple choice, and 1 short answer question.
Curated OER
Changing Your View
In this refraction worksheet, students will explore the property of light called refraction. Students will conduct a quick experiment to understand how light is refracted. Then students will complete 2 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Wave Behavior
In this wave behavior worksheet, students will read about how sound waves are formed and how air and water temperature affects sound waves travel. Then students will complete 2 short answer questions based on the information they read.
Curated OER
Special Senses
In this special senses worksheet, 9th graders briefly describe the structure of a taste bud and the pathway a signal takes to the brain. Then they list the five basic taste sensations and homeostatic values of taste. Students also...
Curated OER
Experiment: Refraction And The Reappearing Coin
In this refraction worksheet, students perform an experiment by putting a penny in a bowl, walking off and turning back around to see if they can still see the penny or not.
Curated OER
Light Is Amazing
Young scholars investigate light and its energy. They discuss the properties of light, research how much light the moon absorbed on their birthday on a website, complete a graphic organizer, and create a kaleidoscope.
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
Fiber Optics
Students explore the uses of optical fibers, are exposed to the principles of refraction and total internal reflection, solve problems relating to the design of fiber optic cables, and compare them to copper transmission lines.
Curated OER
Jell-O Optics
Students observe an activity with Jell-O to learn about optics. For 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.
Curated OER
Enlightening Explorations, Part II
Sixth graders review their results from the previous experiments. After viewing a kaleidoscope, they make their own pattern on paper and describe the role of light. To end the lesson plan, they examine light being relfected and...
Curated OER
Geometrical Optics: Reflection and Refraction of Light
Students define and discus the concepts of wave fronts and rays. In groups, they distinguish between specular and diffuse reflections and use Snell's Law to predict the path of light rays. They calculate the speed of light through...
Curated OER
Frozen Film
Students are introduced to the topic of light interference through this hands-on activity. They observe how light reflects off two surfaces and then meets to form an interesting variation of color on a film surface.
Florida State University
Florida State University: Molecular Expressions Microscopy Primer: Light and Color Refraction of Light
Comprehensive and sophisticated overview of light refraction includes an historical overview of the subject and explanations of the mathematics that underpin refractive indexes, the relative index of refraction, Snell's law, and light...
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Methods of Polarization
At this college physics department site, the polarization of light is explained and illustrated as well as the primary methods of polarization (scattering, reflection, and refraction).
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Crossed Polarizers
At this univeristy physics department site, the polarization of light is explained and illustrated. Methods for analyzing light to determine the degree of polarization are stated and explained with equations.
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Polarization by Absorption
The operation of Polaroid filters on a pair of sunglasses is shown.
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Microscope
This site from Georgia State University Physics Department provides a discussion of how light refracts through the lenses of a microscope. Demonstrates the parts of a microscope and includes an interactive form in which the magnifying...
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Common Eye Defects
The eye and its common defects are discussed along with corrective measures.
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Refraction of Light and Snell's Law
The meaning and cause of refraction--as well as Snell's law of refraction--are discussed. Includes an interactive problem-solving form in which visitors relate angles of refraction to the incident angle and the indices of refraction.
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Prisms
This physics department site explains how prisms work and their purpose in the dispersion of light. Explains the angle of deviation and includes an interactive form in which visitors calculate the angle of deviation and receive immediate...