RESOURCE GUIDEBOOK FOR EDUCATORS
Islamic Contributions: Camera Obscura
Unit: 7.09 Islamic Contributions: Camera Obscura
Lesson/Activity Title: Build a Pinhole Camera
Created by: Arooj Arslan and Salma Nakhuda
Recommended Grade(s): Gr 4, Gr 10
Time Needed – Execution: 6 - 8 periods
Links to the accompanying Slidedeck, Worksheet, Rubric and Escape Room Acitivity provided in the Lesson plan below.
Background
With the advancements in Science & Technology, we need to acknowledge and credit the long chain of scientists, engineers, and inventors who spent their lives in exploration leading up to these advancements. To highlight some of the contributions made by the Muslim Civilization in the middle ages, we have created a series of 5 lessons to introduce K-12 students to some of the significant contributions made by Muslim scientists and inventors in the fields of Engineering, Physics, Astronomy, and Mathematics.
Lessons in these series:
7.06 Islamic Contributions to Flight
7.07 Islamic Inventions: Machines Using Cranks
7.08 Engineering of Domes in Islamic Architecture
7.09 Islamic Contributions: Camera Obscura
7.10 Astronomy and Space: Build a Sundial
Curriculum Expectations:
Grade 4
Science
Use technological problem-solving skills to design, build, and test a device that makes use of the properties of light
Describe properties of light, including the following: light travels in a straight path; light can be absorbed, reflected, and refracted.
Grade 10
Optics Unit
Analyse a technological device that uses the properties of light (e.g., microscope, retroreflector, solar oven, camera), and explain
Use an inquiry process to investigate the laws of reflection, using plane and curved mirrors, and draw ray diagrams to summarize their findings.
Chemistry Unit
Plan and conduct an inquiry to identify the evidence of chemical change
Describe the types of evidence that indicate chemical change
Describe, on the basis of observation, the reactants in and products of a variety of chemical reactions, including synthesis, decomposition, and displacement reactions.
Objectives of the lesson:
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
Connect the contributions of Islamic Scientists
Ibn Al Haytham towards building the foundation for modern day optics.
Ibn Sahl towards developing the Law of Refraction &
Kamal al-Dini al-Farisi towards understanding how rainbows work.
Design, build and test a pin-hole camera
Success Criteria:
I have drawn a clear and detailed diagram of my pinhole camera.
I can use the design thinking process to build a pinhole camera.
I can explain how my pinhole camera works using science vocabulary.
Materials and Preparation Needed:
Shoebox
Tape
Glue
X-acto knife
Black paint or Black paper
Vocabulary:
Refract, reflect, absorb, beam of light, optics,
Lesson
Minds-on
Watch the following video clip with the students: 1001 Inventions and the Library of Secrets - Sir Ben Kingsley.Using think/pair/share, ask the students to discuss with a partner:
Why do you think that time period was known as the dark ages in Europe?
Why was the same time period known as the golden ages of Science in the Islamic world? (“In Muslim civilization, which stretched from Spain to China, science was studied from previous civilizations and other cultures under the umbrella of Muslim culture and civilization. They built upon this knowledge and in turn passed on the achievements to the modern world. This period was known as the Golden Age.” (Al-Hassani, 2012))
Project the inverted images on slides 3-5 in the slide deck and have the students guess what the inverted images are of. (Answers: Slide 2- Niagara Falls, Slide 3- CN tower, Slide 4-Parliament Buildings, Slide 5- First mosque in Canada. Al-Rashid Mosque, Edmonton)
Review the definition of optics and the properties of light with the students using the slides 6 & 7 in the slide deck.
Optional Task: As a class, visit the Gizmos app “Eyes and Vision 1” to view how our eyes see. Discuss with the students how our eyes see inverted images and that it was with this initial discovery that the earliest cameras were invented. (The Gizmos activity is only for the class to view together, the pdf in this Gizmos is not for the Grade 4 students.)
Action
Watch the following video clip on slide 9 with the students. Using think/pair/share, ask the students to work with a partner to order the cameras on the right of the slide in the order they were invented. (Answers: C,B,D,A)
Review the contributions of Muslim Scientists, Ibn Al Haytham, Ibn Sahl, Kamal al-dini al-farisi to the study of optics using slides 10-13 in the slide deck.
Students will work in pairs or groups of three for the next activity. Students will be creating their own pinhole cameras using a shoebox—a simple camera without a lens and with a single small aperture. Light passes through the hole and projects an inverted image on the opposite side of the box. See the instructions below for how to build a pinhole camera. The instructions with corresponding images are available in these Student Instruction Slides
You will need a shoebox for this activity. Any size/style is fine.
Cover the interior of the box with black paper or paint it black (use non-glossy paint).
Cut a piece of white paper to cover one of the interior sides in the box. This will be your ‘screen’ where you will see the inverted images.
Use tape to attach the sheet of white paper to one of the interior sides. This is your ‘screen’.
Poke a tiny hole in the box with a pencil. The hole should be on the side which is opposite to the ‘screen’.
Now cut a square in the cardboard box on the side adjacent to the pin/screen. This is your ‘peephole’. Keep the size small (approximately 2cm by 2cm). You don’t want too much light entering the box. Cut 3 sides and bend the fourth side. Leave the flap open.
Tape the edges of the box with duct tape. We are trying to prevent unnecessary light from entering the box when closed.
Next, take it outdoors and peep in through the hole to see ‘inverted images’ on the ‘screen’ in the box. Experiment on how you see the best images. Move the box back and forth to focus the best image on the ‘screen’. One tip is to use it facing away from a light source (the light is at your back).
This is a basic pinhole camera. Experiment with different styles and complexity levels (you will find examples of different types of pinhole cameras online).
Things To Consider When Testing Your Pinhole Camera
How about trying it with a light source such as a flashlight/lamp indoors? Would that work?
Will the camera work better if it is darker indoors? How can you make it darker while using the pinhole camera? Can you use a blanket or cover the windows?
Can you make a whole room into a pinhole camera...how would you do that?
Consolidation
Once the students have had a chance to try out their cameras, come back together as a class and ask the students:
What is one thing you learned about earlier study of optics from building a pinhole camera?
Why do you think it is important to continue to build on or improve designs from earlier inventors? How would you say modern cameras differ from earlier attempts?
Final statement: We need to acknowledge and credit the long chain of scientists, engineers, and inventors who spent their lives working to advance science and technology. The cameras that we are able to use today would not have been possible without their contributions.
Assessment:
Observation of how the students use the design thinking process to design and test
Anecdotal notes of how science terminology was used in the design process.
Opportunities for Modifications and Extensions:
Pre-teach the vocabulary using images for younger students, English Language Learners, and Special Education.
If you are reviewing the properties of light, you can use these slides which have the properties of light spread out over 4 slides: Slides
As an extension, students in upper elementary grades can work on the Gizmos worksheets attached to the activity.
Extension: If the basic pinhole camera is too basic for your students, encourage them to build a functioning pinhole camera that takes actual pictures!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDm1Mpixjuw (build a pinhole camera with photographic film)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4bf2IO3-Wg (develop your own photos)
https://www.rigb.org/education/loreal-young-scientist-centre/activities-to-try/pinhole-cameras
References:
Al-Hassani, S. (2012). 1001 Inventions: the enduring legacy of Muslim civilization (3rd ed.). National Geographic.
Al-Hassani, S. (2012). 1001 Inventions and Awesome Facts from Muslim Civilization. National Geographic.
1001Inventions. (2020). 1001 Inventions and the Library of Secrets-Sie Ben Kingsley [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/SxJ2OC7iXo0
Duke Computational Optics Lab. (2016). Simple explanation of how a camera works [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/BNA97LaWLF0
Explore Learning Gizmos. (n.d.). Eyes and vision 1-Seeing color. https://gizmos.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspDetail&ResourceID=1095
Timothy, E. (2013). Illuminating photography: From camera obscura to camera phone [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/XaGUL8B-BrE