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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

In this activity, learners use clear nail polish to create a beautiful iridescent pattern on black paper. Learners discover that a thin film creates iridescent, rainbow colors.

In this activity, learners explore how and why rainbows form by creating rainbows in a variety of ways using simple materials. Learners create rainbows indoors and outdoors.

In this activity about light and reflection, learners discover that what you see is often affected by what you expect to see.

In this activity about light and reflection, learners use a special device called a Mirage Maker™ to create an illusion.

This fun and simple hands-on astronomy activity illustrates the path of light as it reflects off of mirrors and how this is used in telescopes.

This is an online exhibit about color perception. Learners set a random background color and then try to mix red, blue, and green light to match.

In this activity, learners use a laser pointer, empty soda bottle, rubber plug and water to demonstrate total internal reflection.

In this optics activity, learners make a lens and explore how the eye manipulates the light that enters it.

In this activity (page 2 of PDF), learners play with a lens and a piece of paper to focus an image on the paper. Learners look at different things, and see how the lenses affect the image.

In this optics activity, learners discover that not all shadows are black. Learners explore human color perception by using colored lights to make additive color mixtures.

In this optics activity, learners explore how they can make gelatin stop light, but not stop them from seeing fruit suspended within.

Do you have a hard time matching paint swatches with your furniture? When you consider human perception, color is context dependent.

In this activity, learners discover that it's difficult to distinguish between two different shades of gray when they aren't separated by a boundary.

In this trick, hold your hand over a burning candle without getting burned, by reflecting and transmitting the light of two candles. This activity is best suited as a demonstration.

In this optics activity, learners explore diffraction by adding wax blocks to a ripple tank. The wedge-shaped blocks act as obstacles that the wave must bend around.

Look at pictures through different color filters and you'll see them in a new way. People have used color filters in beautiful photography or sending secret messages.

In this optics activity, learners examine how polarized light can reveal stress patterns in clear plastic.

This simple hands-on activity demonstrates why the sky appears blue on a sunny day and red during sunrise and sunset.

In this optics activity, learners make a "light fountain" from a clear plastic bottle, flashlight, and other simple materials.