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Rotating Light
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In this activity, learners explore what happens when polarized white light passes through a sugar solution.
Bubble Tray
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In this activity, learners use simple materials to create giant bubbles.
Morphing Butterfly
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In this activity, learners explore how nanosized structures can create brilliant color.
Iridescent Art
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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.
Make a Prism
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In this activity, learners will make their own prism and use a glass of water to separate sunlight into different colors.
Light Quest
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Learners test their "light-smarts" by playing a game called "Light Quest!" The game board represents an atom and each player represents an electron that has been bumped into the atom's outer unstable
What is Light?
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In this four-part activity, learners will discover the exciting world of light--the most important form of energy in our world--and be able to identify and describe different types of light.
Soap Film on a Can
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The beautiful iridescent colors of a bubble in a can! With this Exploratorium Science Snack, create beautiful soap films on the open end of a can to see beautiful rainbows of color.
Super Gelatin
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Can gelatin (like Jell-O ®) change the speed of light?
See the Light
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In this three-part activity, learners conduct simple experiments to see how light refracts and reflects, and how colors of light affect what we see.
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.
Glow Up
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In this activity, learners explore chemiluminescence and fluorescence. Learners examine 3 different solutions in regular light, in the dark with added bleach solution, and under a black light.
Why is the Sky Blue?
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In this activity, learners use a flashlight, a glass of water, and some milk to examine why the sky is blue and sunsets are red.
Waves and Tides
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In this 7-10 day investigation, learners develop an understanding of waves and tides and their motion through discussion, demonstration, and hands-on activities.
Science of Sunblock
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This is an activity (located on page 3 of the PDF under Stained Glass Activity) about nanotechnology making its way into everyday products, such as sunscreen, and how effective these invisible particl
Bone Stress
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In this optics activity, learners examine how polarized light can reveal stress patterns in clear plastic.
Diffraction Between Wax Blocks
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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.
Spectroscope
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In this activity, learners construct their own spectroscope as they explore and observe spectra from familiar light sources.
What is in the Water?
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In this activity, learners use open inquiry to learn about the process of science as well as gain experience regarding the Law of Conservation of Mass, dissolution, and density.
Release the Rainbow
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In this activity, learners create a water prism to break light into the seven colors of the rainbow.