Optics Unit

The Big Question:

• How do we see? The unit is built around answering this question.

Unit Design Goals:

• Reduced Content: The curriculum document contains a number of smaller topics that don't connect well to the main focus of geometric optics. These are eliminated. The topic of curved mirrors is eliminated since it doesn't add much conceptually to students' understanding of light. This elimination allows us focus (!) on deeper conceptual development and help students adjust to grade 10.

• Inquiry Focus: Each lesson follows a structure emphasizing observations, finding patterns, developing ideas and terminology, and application

• Hands-On Activities: Each lesson is full of experiments and activities where students develop and test new ideas. Very little chalk and talk left for the teacher to do!

• Cultural Connections: The historical developments of optics in the Islamic world are integrated. CRRP strategies based on based on ideas of Zaretta Hammond. Storytelling is also an important pedagogical strategy, telling stories about how we see.

• Experimental Videos: All experiments and observations that students make are videoed. Instructions for complex experiments are in video format.

• Designed for Pathways: minimal assumed background knowledge, student-centred, hands-on, but lots of sophisticated scientific thinking!

Core Concepts:

• light from sources

• conditions for seeing things

• plane mirror reflection and diffuse reflection (we do not cover curved mirrors)

• how materials affect light (refraction)

• images and lenses

• the visual system (organ systems = biology!)