Search Results
Showing results 1 to 20 of 25
Splitting White Light
Source Institutions
In this optics activity, learners split white light into all its component colors using three household items: a compact disc, dishwashing liquid, and a hose (outside).

CD Spectroscope
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners use an old CD to construct a spectroscope, a device that separates light into its component colors.

Two Lenses in One
Source Institutions
In this activity about light, learners explore how water can refract light and change the way they see things.

Soap-Film Interference Model: Get on our wavelength!
Source Institutions
By making models of light waves with paper, learners can understand why different colors appear in bubbles.
Mix and Match
Source Institutions
In this optics activity, learners explore color by examining color dots through colored water and the light of a flashlight.
The Ripple Tank
Source Institutions
In this optics activity, learners create a ripple tank from household materials to study waves. Learners build the tank and then explore by making various types of waves.

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

Rainbow Refraction
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners will explore how light can refract or break apart into different colors.

Magic Wand
Source Institutions
In this activity about light and perception, learners create pictures in thin air.

Rainbow in the Room
Source Institutions
This activity generates learner excitement about light through the creation of a room-sized rainbow.

Pinhole Magnifier
Source Institutions
In this activity related to light and perception, learners use a pinhole in an index card as a magnifying glass to help their eye focus on a nearby object.

Seeing Your Blind Spot
Source Institutions
This activity (aka "snack") provides instructions for discovering your blind spot. It is an exploration of light and visual perception using simple materials you may have around the house.

Mirrors and Images
Source Institutions
In this optics activity, learners explore how many objects they can see in a set of mirrors (hinged like a book) at various angles.

Shadow Puppets
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners will create their own simple shadow puppets, and experiment with light and shadow while playing with them.

Shadow Dance
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners experiment with shadows and light sources to understand the relationship between the angle illumination and the shadow's length.

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

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

Afterimage
Source Institutions
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.

Rainbow Glasses
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners explore light, color and rainbows by making their own rainbow glasses.

Critical Angle
Source Institutions
In this optics activity, learners examine how a transparent material such as glass or water can actually reflect light better than any mirror.