Lesson K1: Seeing the light

Starter activities

Problem solving

For each group:

  • rubber tube,
  • four cardswith pinholes mounted in stands, andtorch or lamp

Capture interest

  • helium neon laser,
  • screen,
  • chalk dust (e.g. board rubber) or lighted taper to produce smoke

Main activities

K1a The pinhole camera

For each group:

  • pinhole camera with no hole made up in advance (see right)
  • access to an optical pin to make hole
  • piece of thick paper (e.g. sugar paper) to make cuff
  • piece of sticky tape

For the class:

  • carbon filament lamp or 8 candles in candle holders
  • matches (if candles used)

Plenary activities

Looking ahead

  • mirrors

Lesson K2: Which ray?

Starter activities

Recap last lesson

  • calculators

Problem solving

  • selection of mirrors
  • small sheet ofaluminium,
  • other metals
  • a metalspoon
  • glass
  • shiny plastic, i.e. shinymaterials that reflect but are notsilver

Capture interest (2)

  • kaleidoscope
  • periscope

Capture interest – Technician sheet

  • safety screen (clean) supported by holders or clamps
  • two identical Bunsen burners, one on and one off.

Main activities

K2a Equal angles

For the teacher:

  • set square

For each group:

  • mirror and stand
  • ray box with single slit
  • sheet of white paper
  • ruler
  • power pack
  • protractor

K2b Kaleidoscopes

For each group:

  • object, e.g. brightly coloured die
  • two mirror stands
  • two mirrors
  • protractor

Lesson K3: Travelling through

Starter activities

Recap last lesson

  • plane mirrors

Capture interest (1)

  • bowl or trough of water (opaque may bean advantage)
  • ruler

For each group:

  • opaque mug
  • coin or similar disc
  • beakerof water

Main activities

K3a Is it transparent?

  • low voltage supply
  • ray box
  • black paper or card
  • scissors and sticky tape
  • plasticine (to hold sample)
  • computer
  • interface
  • light sensor
  • datalogging software
  • printer (optional)
  • samples of test materials, preferably all the same thickness (approximately 5mm),to include: clear, colourless glass; opaque white glass; translucent white glass; clearcolourless plastic; clear coloured plastic; translucent white and opaque plastics;aluminium; cardboard

K3b Refraction

For each group:

  • ray box with single slit
  • low voltage supply
  • glass block
  • white paper
  • ruler

Lesson K4: Coloured light

Starter activities

Recap last lesson

  • class set of scissors and glue (optional)

Problem solving

  • paper
  • pencils
  • rulers

Capture interest (1)

  • colour charts for diagnosing colour blindness
  • 3D pictures and red/green glasses
  • colour puzzles

Main activities

K4a Coloured light

For the prism demonstration:

  • two good-quality large prisms
  • light source with intense white beam (not fluorescent)
  • white screen onto which to direct spectrum

For the colour mixing demonstration:

  • three light sources, preferably of variable intensity (e.g. ray boxes linked to low-voltage supplies withvariable voltage, encased to produce a circular beam of light)
  • a red, a green and a blue filter, each fitted to one of the lights to give a red, a green and a blue light.(Alternatively, you may have a dedicated piece of equipment for mixing the lights.)
  • white screen

K4b Reflecting colour

For each group:

  • computer
  • interface
  • light sensor
  • datalogging software
  • printer (optional)
  • low voltage supply
  • ray box
  • black paper or card
  • scissors and sticky tape
  • selection of metal plates sprayed with paint, or coloured card
  • plasticine to support coloured surfaces

Plenary activities

Review learning

  • sodium lamp
  • blackout orblackout area
  • small objects,e.g. green bead, red brick,blue toy, etc

Sharing responses

  • TV
  • magnifying glass

Group feedback

  • coloured pens
  • large sheets of paper
  • drawing compasses or circular templates

Looking ahead

  • coloured filters other than red green and blue or 3D glasses and pictures

Lesson K4 Investigate: How do coloured filters change the colour we see?

Starter activities

Setting the context

  • different coloured filters

Introduce the apparatus

  • different coloured filters
  • some example colour filters

Main activities

K4d Investigate: How do coloured filters change the colour we see?

For each group:

  • coloured objects (red, green, blue, black, white, yellow, magenta, cyan)
  • coloured filters (red, green and blue)
  • lamp (white light)

Lesson K5: Mix it

Main activities

K5a Mix it

  • Red, blue and green objects (bricks, balls, discs, cards)

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This list is in Microsoft Word, so it can be customised to fit each school’s requirements.