Light & OPTICAL Systems

Light and Optics Lab day!

• Prisms and components of light

• Spotlights and what makes colour

• How colour changes with different lights

• Electromagnetic Spectrum

• Convex and concave lenses and mirrors

• Lasers - mirrors and jello!

• Waves with slinkey's

• Sunset science

Other activities

First Nations Metis Inuit Perspectives

I had thought it would be challenging to make authentic connections between light and FNMI perspectives. After researching and finding a light based legends I think it would be great to have the students compare one to modern science concepts or create their own.

• Legend of the Northern Lights

• Raven Steals the light

• Talk about light pollution and the environment

Students will: Investigate the nature of light and vision, and describe the role of invention, explanation and inquiry in developing our current knowledge

Investigate the development of microscopes, telescopes and other optical devices, and describe how these developments contributed to the study of light and other areas of science

• Can also be done with "Cells & Systems" unit.

• Look at objects through magnifier glasses and microscopes, various telescopes and binoculars

• Build your own refracting telescope.

Investigate light beams and optical devices, and identify phenomena that provide evidence of the nature of light

• Laser light through jello or cloudy water.

Students will: Investigate the transmission of light and describe its behaviour using a geometric ray model

• Ray box and mirrors/lenses

• Build a light box

Investigate how light is reflected, transmitted and absorbed by different materials, and describe differences in their properties

• Build translucent/ transparent/ opaque demo

Measure and predict angles of reflection

• See above lazer demo. Record measurements on paper

• Use mirrors and lasers to see who can get their beam the furthest!

• Build periscopes

Investigate, measure and describe the refraction of light through different materials

• Pencil in water demo. Classic!

• Water beads

• Refraction illusions - try it and this

Investigate materials used in optical technologies and predict the effects of changes in their design, alignment or composition

• Hubble vs James Webb

Students will: Interpret the nature of visible light-as part of an electromagnetic spectrum-using the wave model of light

Describe the characteristics of solar energy as it comes to Earth in its various wavelengths and explain the significance of these different forms to humans and the environment

• Play with waves

  • Sunset science (coffee mate and an overhead projector)

  • Slinkey - demo or lab 1 or lab 2

• Spectroscopes

  • • When all else fails, ask NASA

    • NASA video

    • Build your own spectroscopes

      • • Tube and CDs

        • Box version and more here

        • Buy scope or film/glasses

Describe and compare how incandescent, fluorescent, phosphorescent and biolummescent sources produce light

• Bring in examples of each. Make sure to add LED!

• Great information here

Investigate and describe the effects of infrared and ultraviolet light on materials, and identify related health concerns and technological applications

• UV light and beads

• Look up local UV index

No Longer Required - Describe and explain the uses of red, green and blue as primary additive colours

• Spotlight demo above

• Dollar store finger lights

• Coloured lights and lasers in coloured jello

• Virtual spotlights

• Mars connection - grow lights are magenta!

• Virtual light lab

• Online activity

Students will: Investigate and explain the science of image formation and vision; and interpret related technologies

Demonstrate the formation of real images using a double convex lens, and predict effects of changes in lens position on the size and location of images

• Lens lab ... look at the e!

• TPT Free - all things lenses

• Convex and concave lenses

• Convex and concave mirrors and Mylar mirrored film

Demonstrate and explain the use of microscopes, and describe in general terms the function of eyeglasses, binoculars and telescopes

• See above lab comparing devices

• Microscope covered in Cells and Systems unit

Explain how objects are seen by the eye, and compare eyes and cameras

• Excellent TedEd video

• Blind Spot

Compare the function and design of the mammalian eye to that of other vertebrates and invertebrates

• Eye dissection (with Cells & Systems unit)

• THE MANTIS SHRIMP!

• What animals see

• How animals see the world

• Pupil shapes and animal eyes

Investigate and describe the development of new technologies to enhance human vision

• Laser eye surgery

• Night vision

• Glasses

• Hubble and James Webb telescopes