The Spectrum Lab

Spectroscopy is the universal analytical tool of science, yet students rarely get to see how the concepts they learn about the electromagnetic spectrum are applied to enable discovery and innovation in fields from art history to volcanology. The Spectrum Lab is an online data visualization tool and associated set of investigations that supports students in learning about light, color, and the electromagnetic spectrum by working with hands-on materials, models and simulations, and authentic scientific spectral data. Implemented over 3 to 8 class periods, Spectrum Lab activities promote students' reasoning about light and color phenomena. A curated database of over 100 model and observed spectra from a variety of disciplines helps students to use these data to explore interesting questions about the world while gaining fluency with a range of important science practices.

As a participant in this workshop you will delve into Spectrum Lab investigations as a learner yourself, and discuss with other educators their strategies for engaging students in using spectral data as evidence to support reasoning about real-world phenomena. Over 4 days of live Zoom sessions and asynchronous exploration of the workshop learning platform, you’ll hear from multi-disciplinary experts in relevant fields of research, gain ongoing access to the curriculum developers and mentor educators, and receive all the materials you’ll need to implement the Spectrum Lab with your students.