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Showing results 1 to 20 of 34
Light Maze
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In this activity, learners will explore light with reflective surfaces. Learners will make predictions and share their observations as they experiment with directing a beam of light.
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.
Paper Whites
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Learners observe different paper samples under ordinary room light and under a black light to learn some of the chemical differences between different types of paper.
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.
Your Father's Nose
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In this fun optics activity, learners explore principles of light, reflection (mirrors), and perception. Learners work in pairs and sit on opposite sides of a "two-way" mirror.
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.
On the Fringe (formerly Bridge Light)
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In this activity, learners trap a thin layer of air between two pieces of Plexiglas to produce rainbow-colored interference patterns.
Morphing Butterfly
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In this activity, learners explore how nanosized structures can create brilliant color.
Convection Current
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In this activity, learners make their own heat waves in an aquarium.
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.
Shadow Puppets
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In this activity, learners will create their own simple shadow puppets, and experiment with light and shadow while playing with them.
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.
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.
Afterimage
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In this activity about light and perception, learners discover how a flash of light can create a lingering image called an "afterimage" on the retina of the eye.
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.
Measure the Sun's Size
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In this activity, learners make their own pinhole viewer in order to measure the size of the sun.