American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History: Laser O Logy Card
Flip over this interactive OLogy card to find fast facts, questions and answers, and similar bite-size pieces of information about the properties and uses of lasers.
Scholastic
Scholastic: Study Jams! Science: Energy, Light and Sound: Light
A video and a short quiz on the basic concepts and vocabulary for understanding light energy.
Other
National Engineers Week Foundation: Hearing the Light
Students learn how laser communication systems are built by observing how sound can be encoded into, and transmitted by a light beam.
NASA
Nasa: Tour of the Electromagnetic Spectrum: Visible Light
Visible light waves are the only electromagnetic waves we can see. We see these waves as the colors of the rainbow. Each color has a different wavelength. Red has the longest wavelength and violet has the shortest wavelength. When all...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Laser Light Properties: Protecting the Mummified Troll!
Students learn and use the properties of light to solve the following challenge: "A mummified troll was discovered this summer at our school and it has generated lots of interest worldwide. The principal asked us, the technology classes,...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Learning Light's Properties
Students learn the basic properties of light--the concepts of light absorption, transmission, reflection and refraction, as well as the behavior of light during interference. Lecture information briefly addresses the electromagnetic...
Science4Fun
Science4 Fun: Lasers
What is a laser? Illustrated discussion of lasers includes how they work and how they are used.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: How Can We Measure the Wavelength of Light Emitted From Stars?
This activity is designed for students to apply their knowledge of mathematics and physics to "real life" situations. Students are presented with the situation that they are on a camping trip and wish to know the wavelength emitted by a...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Security System Design
Students apply everything they have learned about light properties and laser technologies to designing, constructing and presenting laser-based security systems that protect the school's mummified troll. In the associated activity,...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Protecting the Mummified Troll
Students are introduced to the (hypothetical) task of developing an invisible (non-intrusive) security system to protect the school's treasured mummified troll! Solving the challenge depends on an understanding of the properties of...
University of Colorado
University of Colorado: Ph Et Interactive Simulations: Wave Interference
Make waves with a dripping faucet, audio speaker, or laser. Add a second source or a pair of slits to create an interference pattern.
Discovery Education
Discovery Education: 3 M Young Scientist Lab: Gelatin Optic Fibers
Strips of gelatin dessert and a laser pointer demonstrate total internal reflection.
University of Colorado
University of Colorado: Physics 2000: Atom Light Interactions
Discusses the interaction between light energy and atoms of matter. Explains Einstein's photoelectric effect and discusses its application to lasers. Includes an interactive Java applet depicting the interaction between a photon and an...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: Reflection Race: Exploring Reflection of Light
An interesting and engaging activity where students work in groups with a laser pointer and small mirrors. They must use their knowledge of angles of reflection to bounce the laser beam from mirror to mirror until it hits a target at the...
Synopsys
Synopsys: Learn About Optics
Highly informational optic site for kids provides everything one might want to know about light. Various topics include light basics, controlling light, lenses, complex lenses, what's cool about lasers and much more!
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Construct It!
Students use simple household materials, such as PVC piping and compact mirrors, to construct models of laser-based security systems. The protected object (a "mummified troll" or another treasure of your choosing) is placed "on display"...
Curated OER
Science Kids: Science Images: Laser Pointer
This photo shows a laser pointer in action in two different lighting conditions. The lighting in the top image is much brighter than in the bottom image but the laser pointer is effective in both.
Famous Scientists
Famous Scientists: Steven Chu
Find out about Steven Chu who is known for his research in cooling and trapping of atoms with laser light, which won him the Nobel Prize in Physics.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Plix: Law of Reflection: Angle of Incidence
[Free Registration/Login Required] In the scenario shown here, the laser cannot shine through the black barrier but can hit all three targets by reflecting off of the floor. Use the red dot to change the angle of the laser generator and...
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas Mc Donald Observatory: Super Gelatin
Middle schoolers measure the angles of refraction of laser light traveling through gelatin, then plot their data to calculate the gelatin's index of refraction.
Read Works
Read Works: Tag! You're Hit!
[Free Registration/Login Required] A literary text about two boys who want to throw a birthday party for a friend. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Optical Society
Optical Society of America: Optics for Kids: Total Internal Reflection
An investigation into the total internal reflection of light, using a laser pointer. Accompanied by an explanation of what's happening, a discussion of Snell's Law, and links to additional information.
Boston University
Bu: Optics Demonstrations: Interference
Several short descriptions and graphics of demonstrations which illustrate principles of interference. Suitable as a supplement for a teacher lesson plan or as an idea-generator for a student project.