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Exploring Materials: Nano Gold
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In this activity, learners discover that nanoparticles of gold can appear red, orange or even blue. They learn that a material can act differently when it’s nanometer-sized.
CD Spectroscope
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In this activity, learners use an old CD to construct a spectroscope, a device that separates light into its component colors.
Glowing in the Dark
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In this activity, learners explore phosphorescence and how certain materials can absorb and store energy from a light source.
Bronx Cheer Bulb
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In this activity, learners observe what happens when they give a light source like a neon glow lamp a "Bronx Cheer." The lights appear to wiggle back and forth and flicker when learners blow air throu
Pinhole Viewer
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In this activity, learners discuss and investigate how cameras, telescopes, and their own eyes use light in similar ways.
Magic Wand
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In this activity about light and perception, learners create pictures in thin air.
Why are Compact Fluorescent Bulbs More Efficient?
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In this activity, learners explore the relative efficiency of different bulbs, specifically incandescent vs. fluorescent.
Critical Angle
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In this optics activity, learners examine how a transparent material such as glass or water can actually reflect light better than any mirror.
Stereoscope
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In this activity, learners construct a device that allows them to view 2-D images in 3-D.
Make a Light Fountain
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In this optics activity, learners make a "light fountain" from a clear plastic bottle, flashlight, and other simple materials.
Exploring the Universe: Filtered Light
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"Exploring the Universe: Filtered Light" demonstrates how scientists can use telescopes and other tools to capture and filter different energies of light to study the universe.
Mini Zoetrope
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In this activity (posted on March 27, 2011), learners follow the steps to construct a mini zoetrope, a device that produces an illusion of action from a rapid succession of static pictures.
Spectroscope
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In this activity (posted on March 12, 2011), learners follow the steps to construct a spectroscope, a tool used to analyze light and color.
Forensic Science: Hair Sample Investigation
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This activity (on page 2 of the PDF under SciGirls Activity: Forensics) is a full inquiry investigation into how hairs from a crime scene are matched to suspects.
Glow Up
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In this activity, learners explore chemiluminescence and fluorescence. Learners examine 3 different solutions in regular light, in the dark with added bleach solution, and under a black light.
Camera Projector
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In this activity (posted on March 14, 2011), learners follow the steps to construct a camera projector to explore lenses and refraction.
Night Lights
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In this activity, learners create night lights using a plastic cup, programmable PICO Cricket, tri-color LED, and sensor.
How can You Demonstrate the Efficiency of Different Light Bulbs?
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In this activity, learners actually feel the difference in energy required to light two different types of light bulbs: incandescent light and LEDs.
Build Your Own Solar Oven
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Learners follow directions to construct a solar oven that really cooks! The solar oven uses aluminum foil to reflect sunlight into a cooking chamber, which is painted black.
Periscope
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In this activity, learners construct a device that allows them to look over ledges or around corners.