Transparent, Translucent, and Opaque Materials

What happens when LIGHT hits an object?

Three (3) things can happen.

• Light passes through easily (if the object is transparent)
• Light is blurred (if the object is translucent)
• Light is blocked (if the object is opaque)

Materials

• Transparent object(s) {clear plastic cup, glass, water, etc.}
• Translucent object(s) {some tinted plastic cups, waxed paper, sunglasses, etc.}
• Opaque object(s) {some plastic cups, aluminum foil, cardboard, etc.}
• Flashlight 
• Plastic plate (optional)

Experiment

1. Show the children 3 different objects (1 transparent, 1 translucent, 1 opaque).
2. Have the children predict what will happen when they shine a light on each object
3. Have the children shine a light on each object, observe what happens, and sketch a picture of what happens and/or record their data in their science notebooks.

transparent (air)

transparent (cup)

 transparent (cup and water)

translucent (cup)

opaque (cup)

FOLLOW UP ACTIVITIES

For a follow up arts and crafts activity children can use their (recycled ) materials and make a  "Light" mobile to hang. They can look for other lightweight transparent, translucent, and opaque objects to put on their mobile.

Download a free Light Energy Word Search Puzzle at my website! Click on Science Worksheets.

                   https://www.LearningWorkroom.com

For more Light Energy Activities, click the link below.

https://learningideasgradesk-8.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-science-of-light-7-fun-activities.html

If you are teaching a unit on light energy you might like to view my illustrated LIGHT ENERGY WORD WALL CARDS at my TPT shop.

Click HERE

HAVE FUN TEACHING SCIENCE! 

Sun Song and Craft Activity

Our Sun is the brightest natural light source that we have.

Caution children NOT to look directly at the Sun and to wear sunglasses on sunny days!

Here is a Fun Sun Song to learn more about the Sun.

Click here: Sun Song

clipart by www.graphicsfactory.com

Arts and Crafts Activity


 Make a Sun Print

 Materials

• dark construction paper
• flat objects
• a sunny day!

Directions

1. Put construction paper outside or in a very sunny spot (window sill).
2. Arrange objects on paper.
3. Wait a couple of days or longer, then remove items.
4. The Sun should have faded all the paper that was not covered by the objects leaving the paper under the objects untouched.    

Creating a Magnetic Caterpillar and Butterfly

Arts and Crafts, Science, Math, and Reading

Here's an Arts and Crafts Project from a November 2010 post on Animals. I'm repeating it because it uses a magnet.

Materials Needed:

• clothespin
• magnetic tape (cut to same length as clothespin)
• small cotton pom poms (green or other fun colors) (approx. 5)
• white glue
• googly eyes (2)
• scissors 

Directions:

1. Stick the magnetic tape to the bottom of the clothespin. 
2. Glue the pom poms to the top of the clothespin. 
3. Then glue the eyes to the front pom pom (the end of the clothespin that opens).

Eric Carle's book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, is awesome to use for reading or science.

____________________________________________________________________


Another simple Arts and Crafts Project that uses magnets are these wooden butterflies.

Materials Needed:

• wooden butterfly shape
• magnetic tape (cut to width of butterfly)
• glitter glue (or paint, crayons, or markers)

Directions:

1. Stick the magnetic tape to the bottom of the wooden butterfly shape.
2. Decorate the top of the butterfly with the glitter glue (or paint, crayons, or markers).
3. Let the glitter glue dry overnight. 

The glitter glue usually takes 24 hours to dry, but I think it's worth the wait because the finished projects always look amazing!  :)

This activity can also be used as a math lesson on symmetry.

Solar System Crafts

A Solar System Diorama is a fun activity for kids to make. (Plus it's a great use for your old shoe boxes or other empty boxes!) Some supplies you might consider having the kids use are styrofoam balls, clay, or construction paper. Also paint, crayons, or markers.

The diorama can display the Sun and all 8 planets or even just the Sun, Earth, and Moon.

clipart by www.graphicsfactory.com

A Solar System Mobile is another fun activity! A plastic hanger, some yarn, construction paper, scissors, and crayons/markers/colored pencils should be enough to get the kids started.

Remind the kids to consider the sizes of the Sun, Earth, Moon, and other planets relative to each other as they create their masterpieces!

They could also label each planet, etc.

Students could use science books or the internet for research.

Earth's Layers

Earth's Layers: core, mantle crust

Crust: outermost layer
Mantle: Middle layer
Core: innermost layer (Inner and Outer)

Clipart by www.graphicsfactory.com

A fun arts and crafts lesson for younger kids is to use clay and create a model of the Earth. Have the kids use 3 different colors of clay (4 colors if you want to show the inner and outer core). They could label each layer with little toothpick flags/markers.

Older kids can research the 3 layers and describe the relative temperature and composition of each layer of the Earth as well as the depth of each layer.

Ocean in a Bottle Art Activity

Arts and Crafts Activity

This activity is fun for younger kids.

Materials Needed:

• small clean, clear, plastic, recycled water bottle with cap
• water
• blue food coloring (1 or 2 drops)
• small plastic ocean animals (fish, dolphin, whale, etc.) .....must be small enough to fit inside bottle
• small shells or pebbles (optional)

Directions

Remove label from bottle. Fill water bottle with other items, then tighten the cap.

I like this idea because it's a great use of recycled water bottles and all the other supplies can usually be bought at one of the dollar stores or found at the beach.
A variation is to fill the bottle with half water and half oil (baby oil or vegetable oil).

Reduce, Recycle, Reuse for a cleaner, greener Earth!

Clipart by www.GraphicsFactory.com

WELCOME!!!!!

WELCOME! WELCOME! WELCOME!
    to Learning Ideas - Grades K - 8

clipart by www.GraphicsFactory.com


Please "follow" our blog!