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Stretch the Chain and See the Light
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In this activity, learners use their strength to light a light bulb. A chain made from paper clips is placed in series with a battery and flashlight bulb.

Gelatin Prism
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In this activity, learners make prisms from gelatin. Learners then shine light through the prisms and discover what happens. This activity introduces learners to the idea of refraction.

Three Circles of Pigments
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In this activity, learners overlap the three primary colors to see how all other colors are made.

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.

Give and Take
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In this activity, learners explore liquid crystals, light and temperature. Using a postcard made of temperature-sensitive liquid crystal material, learners monitor temperature changes.

Oil Spot Photometer
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In this math activity related to light, learners assemble a photometer and use it to estimate the power output of the Sun.

Morphing Butterfly
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In this activity, learners explore how nanosized structures can create brilliant color.

Diffraction
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In this optics activity, demonstrate diffraction using a candle or a small bright flashlight bulb and a slide made with two pencils.

Nebula in a Jar
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In this activity, learners will build a model of a nebula using cotton balls and colored water. Astronomers photograph nebulas and add colors to provide information about the nebula's composition.

Dark Adaptation
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In this activity (6th on the page), learners investigate how photoreceptors in the eye (rods and cones) "adapt" to low light conditions.

Globe at Night
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In this international citizen science activity, learners measure their night sky brightness and submit their observations into an online database.

Lagging Sound
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In this group activity, learners see and hear the speed of sound. A learner designated the "gonger" hits a gong, once every second, as the rest of the group watches and listens from a distance.

Illuminations on Rates of Reactions
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In this activity, learners investigate the speed of chemical reactions with light sticks. Learners discover that reactions can be sped up or slowed down due to temperature changes.

Exploring Structures: Butterfly
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In this activity, learners investigate how some butterfly wings get their color.

DIY Sunprints
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In this activity, learners will see how UV light affects colors over time by making their own sunprint on construction paper.

The Blind Spot
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In this activity (1st on the page), learners find their blind spot--the area on the retina without receptors that respond to light.

Glow in the Dark Jello
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In this activity, learners will make homemade jello that glows under a blacklight. They will learn about quinine, an ingredient in tonic water that is fluorescent.

Observing the Moon
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Use this Moon Map Guide to help learners identify features on the Moon, while looking through a telescope.

CD Spinner
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In this activity, learners create a simple “top” from a CD, marble and bottle cap, and use it as a spinning platform for a variety of illusion-generating patterns.
Magnetism
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In this activity, learners explore the principles of magnetism by observing how various materials interact with magnets and superconductors.