Search Results
Showing results 1 to 20 of 125
Soap Bubble Shapes
Source Institutions
Learners explore three-dimensional geometric frames including cubes and tetrahedrons, as they create bubble wands with pipe cleaners and drinking straws.
Exploring Materials: Nano Gold
Source Institutions
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 Spinner
Source Institutions
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.
Rotating Light
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners explore what happens when polarized white light passes through a sugar solution.
Touch the Spring (Lightbulb)
Source Institutions
In this activity, a lightbulb is placed in front of a concave mirror. The actual lightbulb is not visible to the viewer, but the viewer can see the mirror image of the lightbulb formed in space.
Spherical Reflections
Source Institutions
In this art meets science activity, learners pack silver, ball-shaped ornaments in a single layer in a box to create an array of spherical reflectors.
Pupil
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners explore their eye pupils and how they change.
Physics in a Glass: Reversing Arrows
Source Institutions
In this simple activity, learners investigate refraction by placing a picture of an arrow behind a glass of water.
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.
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.
Water Illusions: Refraction & Magnification
Source Institutions
Learners demonstrate how water can distort, refract and magnify light.
Bubble Tray
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners use simple materials to create giant bubbles.
Morphing Butterfly
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners explore how nanosized structures can create brilliant color.
Cylindrical Mirror
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners create a cylindrical mirror to see themselves as others see them.
Iridescent Art
Source Institutions
This is a quick activity (on page 2 of the PDF under Butterfly Wings Activity) that illustrates how nanoscale structures, so small they're practically invisible, can produce visible/colorful effects.
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.
Make a Prism
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners will make their own prism and use a glass of water to separate sunlight into different colors.
Water Sphere Lens
Source Institutions
In this activity about light and refraction, learners make a lens and magnifying glass by filling a bowl with water.
Exploring Materials: Thin Films
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners create a colorful bookmark using a super thin layer of nail polish on water. Learners discover that a thin film creates iridescent, rainbow colors.
Seeing Your Retina
Source Institutions
In this quick optics activity, learners use a dim point of light (a disassembled Mini MagLite and dowel set-up) to cast a shadow of the blood supply in their retina onto the retina itself.