Refraction
Readiness
TEKS Objective
Demonstrate that light travels in a straight line until it strikes an object or travels from one medium to another and demonstrate that light can be reflected such as the use of mirrors or other shiny surfaces, and refracted such as the appearance of an object when observed through water.
Essential Understanding
The student knows that energy occurs in many forms and can be observed in cycles, patterns, and systems.
Science Background
Refraction at a Boundary: The Physics Classroom (website) – Refraction occurs when light crosses from one medium into another, such as from air to water. This site uses examples to “clarify” refraction.
Refraction at a Boundary
The Physics Classroom, www.physicsclassroom.com
Optics for Kids: The Science and Engineering Behind It (website) - This website may be for kids, but it makes the science of light interesting and easy for adults to understand, too.
Optics for Kids
by Bruce Irving, Optical Solutions Group, optics.synopsys.com
Introduction to Light and Color: Optics Educator Guide (website) - Background information on the properties of light.
Introduction to Light and Color
from the Optics Educator Guide, NASA, www.nasa.gov
Signature Lesson
Bending Light: Utah Education Network (website) - Students learn about and demonstrate light defraction while experimenting with and observing the movement of light through a variety of common objects.
- Supporting Lessons
- Extensions
- Assessment Ideas
- Literature Connections
- Related
TEKS - Additional Resources
Supporting Lessons
Discovering Color with a Prism: Optics Educators Guide (PDF) - Students investigate the behavior of light as it passes through a prism.
Discovering Color with a Prism
from the Optics Educators Guide, NASA, www.nasa.gov
Make Your Own Rainbow: Science Kids (website) - Students learn how to make a rainbow using a glass of water, white paper and a light source.
Make Your Own Rainbow
Science Kids, www.sciencekids.co.nz
Rainbow in the Room: BioEd Online (website) - Use a traditional overhead projector to create a circular “rainbow” around your entire classroom for students to observe.
Elaboration Lessons and Extensions
Optics - Light, Color and Their Uses Educator Guide: NASA (website) - The guide contains color and light activities using lenses, prisms and mirrors to create telescopes, periscopes, microscopes and kaleidoscopes. Other activities include finding focal length and understanding reflection, refraction and diffraction.
Optics - Light, Color and Their Uses Educator Guide
NASA, www.nasa.gov
Medium Activities: Exploring the Science of Light (website) - This website features classroom activities that deepen understanding and inform instruction related to optics, color, lenses, reflection, etc.
Medium Activities
Optical Society of America, www.optics4kids.org
Assessment Ideas
Have students design their own investigations to answer the question, Does light refract the same in different liquids? One possible approach would be for students to use clear Karo syrup or dish soap, and compare their outcomes with the observations for water made during the Signature Lesson. Students should use their own observations to justify their answers to the question.
Literature Connections
Experiments with Light and Mirrors. Gardner, R. (ISBN-13: 978-0766028586)
The Magic School Bus Makes a Rainbow. Cole, Joanna (ISBN-13: 978-0590922517)
Science With Lights and Mirrors. Edom, H. (ISBN-13: 978-0746006962)
Day Light, Night Light: Where Light Comes From. Branley, Franklyn (ISBN-13: 978-0064451710)
Rainbow and You. Krupp, Edwin (ISBN-13: 978-0688156015)
Additional Resources
Science, Optics & You: Molecular Expressions (website) - Online optics activities for students.
Reflection & Refraction: My Schoolhouse (website) - Illustrated explanation of reflection and refraction, suitable for young students.
Reflection & Refraction
My Schoolhouse, www.myschoolhouse.com
TEKS Navigation
Grade 5
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