GRADE: Fourth

CONTENT STANDARD: Physical Science

CONTENT TOPIC: Energy/Light/Heat/Sound

CONCEPT: Sound, heat, and light have many properties.

CONTENT OBJECTIVE: 4C3.00 To understand the properties of light

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES: The learner will:

3.01 recognize light as a form of energy.
3.02 discover that light travels in a straight line.
3.04 discover that light can be bent.
3.03 discover that light can bounce back.
3.05 discover that light can pass through some materials and can be stopped by other materials.
3.06 discover that shadows are formed because light travels in a straight line.
3.07 discover that light can be broken into colors.

I. Light is a form of energy
II. Light travels in a straight line
III. Light can bounce back
IV. Light can be bent
V. Light can pass through some materials and can be stopped by others
VI. Shadows are formed because light travels in a straight line
VII. Light can be broken into colors

TN COMPONENT OF SCIENCE: Process of Science

TN GOAL:

To enable students to demonstrate the processes of science by posing questions and investigating phenomena through language, methods and instruments of science.

1.3 COLLECTING DATA - The acquiring, recording, arranging and storing of information must be performed in a complete, accurate, concise and user-friendly manner.

1.3b Data should be appropriate, accurate, and free of bias.

BENCHMARK: A journal should be kept describing observations made. (Entries should distinguish actual observations of what was observed.)

TIME REQUIRED:

Three instructional periods

MATERIALS:

Solar calculator, cardboard tubes (one for each group), flashlights (one for each group), pencil/glass of water (one for each group), clear glass, waxed paper, black construction paper (one for each group), projector, prism, poster board for color wheel

(Display a solar calculator.) What makes this calculator work? (response) What will happen if you cover the solar cells. Today we are going to learn several properties of light.

(Instructional objectives 3.02 - 3.06 will be taught in a series of activities with students discovering for themselves the properties of light. The teacher would monitor the activities as students work in small groups of 2-4. Students will use paper and pencil to record their observations and conclusions.) Light is a form of energy. The calculator works because solar cells transform light into energy. We are going to do some activities that teach us more about light.

Place a pencil in a glass half full of water. Observe the differences in appearances above and below the water. (Discuss the substances - water and air.) What happens to light rays as they pass from one substance to another? (They may be bent when they pass from one substance to another causing refraction.) Record your observations and conclusions in writing and illustration.

Shine a flashlight through a long cardboard tube. What do you see? (Light traveling in a straight line.) Record what you see. Now, bend the tube. What happens? (response) Record your results. (Light travels in a straight line, as long as it is not passed through a substance which might cause it to bend.)

What do you see when you look in a mirror? (Your image) When light strikes a smooth surface, it bounces off. This bouncing back is called reflection. Shine a flashlight into a mirror. Record what happens.

(Have ready clear glass, waxed paper, black construction paper.) Shine the flashlight to see if the rays pass through the materials. Record your observations of each. (Light can pass through some materials and can be stopped by others. Terms TRANSPARENT, TRANSLUCENT and OPAQUE might be taught here.)

(Have ready projector and screen.) What happens when I step between the projector, when it is turned on, and the screen? (response) Let's place some other objects between the projector and the screen. What happens? (response) Why does this happen? (response) Write your conclusions on your paper. (Shadows are formed because light travels in a straight line and does not pass through an opaque object.)

Shine a light through a prism. Record what happens. (White light is broken into a spectrum.) Record the colors you see. These colors are pure because they cannot be broken down. Take some poster board and make a color wheel, using the colors you see in the prism. (Red, yellow, green, blue) After you have made your wheel, give it a spin. What happens? (Light will appear only as white.) Record observations in your journal.

Today we've talked about many properties of light. (response) I am going to ask you some yes or no questions and I want you to hold up your yes/no card to respond. Can light pass through all objects? (No) Can light travel in a straight line? (Yes) (Continue with as many questions as you wish.) Have different children take turns reading from their journals about the activity which matches each question.

1. Game - SPEC TACULAR COLOR - folder game from FOLDERS-TO-GO by Jane Hahn and Roberta Collins. Order from The Education Center, 1411 Mill St., Greensboro, N. C. 27429 (This game is excellent. It reviews all objectives taught in the lesson.)

2. You may also want to use soap bubbles and rainbows to talk about white light and the visible spectrum.

3. Use light sensor probe with computer graphic technology for experimentation. (example: Abquest Program)

This is the time this file has been accessed since 07/01/97.

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