University of Washington
University of Washington: Central Visual Pathways
Explore the world of central visual pathways. The visual pathway leads from the eye to the primary visual cortex. There is a detailed visual description of this process. Check it out.
Ministry of Education and Universities of the Region of Murcia (Spain)
Ministerio De Educacion Y Ciencia: Ilusiones Opticas
In Spanish. This unit will show you the existence of optical illusions. It will make you think about perception.
PBS
Pbs Kids: Color Roundup
A PBS site explores color and the effects of seeing lots of colors at the same time. Try it yourself with their home experiment.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Shimmer
Student will see this design shimmer! Use this site to learn about this optical illusion and what makes it happen.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Mona
An optical illusion created using Leonardo's well-known portrait of the Mona Lisa serves as source material for an exercise in perception.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Overlapping Spot
Do you know how to make a bright spot brighter? In this activity, your eyes will send conflicting information to the brain. See how you perceive what is on the paper.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Parabolas
Recreate this optical illusion using two parabolic mirrors to make it appear like an object is in the center, when it is really just its image. This experiment requires special equipment which may need to be purchased.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Squirming Palm
Create this optical illusion that incorporates what is known as the waterfall effect.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Touch the Spring
Explore the behavior of light as it reflects off a concave mirror in this optical illusion.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Anti Gravity Mirror
Using the property of reflection, this activity will have students appearing to defy gravity.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Bronx Cheer Bulb
In this activity observe how light sources flash as you give them a raspberry. As you complete the activity, make a conclusion about what is wiggling the lights or you.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Cheshire Cat
In this activity, you will trick your brain into thinking that your friend has disappeared except for their smile. Understand what happens when your eyes receive different images.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Circles or Ovals?
Did you ever wonder why you have two eyes but only see one image? This activity will explore how your brain combines the images from your eyes in surprising ways. Learn about the dominant eye and how some people do not have one!
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Jacques Cousteau in Seashells
An experiment in optical illusions. Understand how seeing is a joint effort between your eyes and your brain.
National Institutes of Health
National Eye Institute: Optical Illusions
Visit this site for some optical illusions for you to have fun with! Click on the "optical illusions" page in this PDF format for a printable version of these four illusions.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Plix: Vision and the Eye: The Line Up
[Free Registration/Login Required] Are your eyes playing tricks on you? This site contains parallel and skew lines that creates an optical illusion.
National Institute of Educational Technologies and Teacher Training (Spain)
Ministerio De Educacion: Flecha
Can you make the second arrow the same size as the first? You will be surprised.
Other
Epsilones: Ilusiones Opticas Y Figures Imposibles
Observe many figures that look impossible to the eye and enjoy many of the optical illusions shown. [In Spanish]
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Pajaro en Una Jaula
Two examples of optical illusions that demonstrate aspects of how we perceive color.
Science Museum of Minnesota
Science Museum of Minnesota: Tops
In this lesson make a spinning top to explore the concepts of shape, color, spinning, and optical illusions.
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: Reliability of Your Visual Sense
Lesson plan that investigates the sense of sight. Includes optical illusions which lead students to question the reliability of vision.
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Phenakistascope
Explore how the eye and brain interpret a series of pictures as motion by building a spinning motion picture show from a paper plate.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Fading Dot
At this site see a dot fade away in this on-line experiment. Learn why this happens in "What's Going On?"
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Bird in a Cage
Have fun with this optical illusion. Learn about after images with this experiment.