Investigating Light Module (no light stations)
module #P110
Shadows are almost always present, but most of us haven’t ever stopped to interpret them as evidence of light’s varied interactions with matter. The six activities in this module allow students to explore the behavior of shadows, light’s interactions with matter, and the straight line nature of light. Working with light beams, students quantify the size of a shadow and use shadows to mathematically determine the sizes of objects. The activities in this module (and in the related P120 and P130 modules) were developed at the University of Kentucky and include materials designed for seamless use with LAB-AIDS® Light Stations. LIGHT STATIONS NOT INCLUDED.
Investigations 1 Exploring the behavior of shadows and the straight line nature of light 2 Characterizing shadows and the effect of different light sources 3 Working with light beams, and examining light’s interactions with matter 4 Quantifying the size of a shadow 5 & 6 Two investigations that apply shadows to graphically and mathematically determine unknown sizes of objects
- Light travels in a straight line.
- Light interacts with objects in a predictable fashion with predictable results.
- Ideal companion for Kits P120 and P130.
Content List in Investigating Light Module (no light stations) is as follows:
| Quantity | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Teacher’s Guide with CD and reproducible student pages |
| 32 | Wooden rods |
| 16 | 150 cm measuring tapes |
| 16 | Binder clips |
| 8 | LAB-AIDS® Light Station Diffusing masks |
| 8 | LAB-AIDS® Light Station Filament viewers |
| 8 | LAB-AIDS® Light Station masks, single slot |
| 8 | LAB-AIDS® Shadow object stands |
| 8 | LAB-AIDS® View screen and stands sets |
| 8 | Plane mirrors, 3x4.5" |
| 8 | Cubes |
| 8 | Cylinders |
| 8 | Rectangular blocks |
| 8 | Spheres |
| 8 | Transparent plastic bottles and caps |
| 8 | Clear PVC sheets, 2x3" |
| 8 | Foil sheets, 2x3" |
| 8 | Wax paper sheets, 2x3" |
| 8 | Pieces of black construction paper, 2x3" |
| 8 | Pieces of green construction paper, 2x3" |
| 8 | Pieces of red construction paper, 2x3" |
| 8 | Pieces of white construction paper, 2x3" |
| 1 | Pad of graph paper |
- Number of Students
- 8 small groups per period
To complete the 6 activities in this module will require eight to twelve ~55 minute periods.
