Reflected Light

How does light help us see things?

• Light must have a source (Sun, flashlight, lamp, etc.) for us to see anything!
• Light can be reflected.  Reflection means to bounce off an object.
• The reflection of light on an object is what allows us to see an object.
• The reflected light enters your eye and an image of the object forms at the back of your eye. This image is sent to your brain and then you see the image of the object.
• Reflected Light makes it possible to see yourself in a mirror.

 

Activity

• Have children use a mirror to see their reflection.
• Have them wink their right eye. Ask: "Which eye in the mirror winked?" (left eye).
• Have them wave their right hand. Ask: "Which hand in the mirror waved?" (left hand).
• Have them hold up a book, piece of paper with their name, or other writing in front of the mirror. Ask the children how the writing looked.
• Help the children understand that the image is always reversed.

• Ask the children if they can think of any other times that they saw their reflection other than using a mirror. ( Possible answers: in a clear, calm pool of water, on a glass door, on the side of a shiny toaster, in a spoon, on a television screen, etc. ) 
• Ask the children what all these things have in common?  (They all are smooth flat surfaces.)  

        Smooth, flat surfaces reflect light best!

Download a FREE Light Energy Word Search Puzzle at my website for your students! Click on Science Worksheets.

                   https://www.LearningWorkroom.com

LIGHT ENERGY WORKSHEET

Have fun teaching science!!!

Does Light Travel in a Straight Line?

 Learning Concepts

1. Light travels in a straight line.
2. When something blocks the path of light a shadow is formed.

Materials 

• flashlight
• 3 index cards with a hole punched in the center of each card
• something to hold the 3 cards upright (I used 3 clips) 
 

Directions

• Stand the cards up a few inches apart on a flat surface. (Line up the holes.)
• Shine a flashlight from one end through all the holes.
• Did the light travel through all the holes?
• Move the middle card a little so the hole is not lined up.
• Shine a light through the holes.
• What happened?
• Did the light travel through all the holes? 
• Does light travel in a straight line?
• What happens to light when it is blocked?
• How is a shadow formed?

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

                   https://www.LearningWorkroom.com

Light Energy Word Search Puzzle

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.    

Light Energy Introduction

LIGHT is a form of Energy.

LIGHT SOURCES are objects that make their own light

• Ask children to brainstorm a list of Light Sources. (Sun, stars, light bulbs, car headlights, flashlights, fireflies, etc.)
• Ask if they know of any light sources that we can not see (X rays, radio waves, microwaves) 

Activity

Can you see a light beam?

Materials needed

• flashlight
• spray bottle filled with water
• notebook
• pencil

Light Beam

Directions

1. Darken a room.
2. Turn on the flashlight and aim it across the darkened room. Have the children observe.
3. Ask students if they can see a light beam.
4. Have students predict what will happen if they spray some water in front of the flashlight?
5. Turn on the flashlight again and spray the water in the flashlight's path of light. Have the children observe.
6. Ask the children to explain what they see. (They should see a beam of light.)
7. Explain that the water reflects the light and that is why they can now see the beam of light.
8. Have students draw pictures of what they saw before and after the water was sprayed in front of the lit flashlight.

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

                   https://www.LearningWorkroom.com

Light Energy Word Search

Have fun teaching Science!

Magnetism Introduction

One way to start a new topic is to create a KWL Chart (a 3 column list) with your students.

KWL Chart

Magnetic Energy

1. In the 1st column, list what the students think they Know about the topic.
2. In the 2nd column, list what they Wonder about the topic. (They can list their questions about the topic here.)
3. After the topic/unit is complete, in the 3rd column, list what the children have Learned.

Animal Magnets Bought at a Hardware Store

• After the students (and teacher) have filled in the 1st and 2nd column of the KWL Chart, give each child a magnet. Any magnet will work!  Refrigerator magnets will work great!
• Have students explore (go around the house or classroom) and find 10 or more items (refrigerator, dishwasher, file cabinet, steel door, etc.) that the magnets "stick to" or are "attracted to". Caution the kids to stay away from the computer!)
• They should list these items in their science notebooks. (Younger kids could look for less objects and sketch pictures instead.)
• You can make it a contest and see which child can list the most items that the magnet will attract.
• Children can then share their lists with each other.
• Ask children what they think all these items have in common.
• Share with the children that magnets will only attract items made of iron, steel, nickel, or cobalt.

You can visit Learning Workroom's website for a FREE KWL Chart that you can download and print.

Click here: https://www.LearningWorkroom.com

Then go to: Free Worksheets

Here are some good children's books on magnets.


              

   

Magnets-  Pulling Together - Pushing Apart

Static Electricity and Balloons

Static Electricity Balloon Demonstration

Vocabulary: positive charges, negative charges, attract (to move close together), repel (to move away)

Materials: 2 balloons, 2 pieces of string, (piece of wool - optional)

An object generally has the same number of positive and negative charges.
An object can lose negative charges and thus become positively charged.

• When 2 positively charged objects are brought close to each other they will REPEL each other. (The same will happen to 2 negatively charged objects.)
• When a positively charged object is brought close to a negatively charged object they will ATTRACT each other.

This can be demonstrated with 2 balloons each tied to a piece of string.

Try rubbing a balloon(s) with a piece of wool. This will remove negative charges from the wool and add them to the balloon(s) making the balloon(s) negatively charged.

Give the kids time to experiment and work with the balloons as they try to make the balloons attract and repel each other.


After the activity, children can sketch and label pictures of the balloons attracting and repelling in their science notebooks. 

Older students can write a summary explaining what causes the balloons to attract or repel.

Static Electricity - Attract

Static Electricity - Repel

You can download a free ELECTRICITY WORD SEARCH PUZZLE at my website.

Click HERE

ELECTRICITY WORKSHEET

Have fun with science!!!

Energy Introduction

The Topic for this Month is ENERGY!

I often start a new topic by BRAINSTORMING with the kids. ...... seeing what they already know about the topic (activating prior knowledge) and finding out what they want to learn about the topic. When the kids come up with their own questions about a new topic, then they are usually more motivated to learn.

One way to find out what kids already know about a topic is to fill in a GRAPHIC ORGANIZER. You could use one of the graphic organizers on Learning Workroom's website.

Click Here: http://www.learningworkroom.com

Go to: Free Worksheets (Graphic Organizers - Content Organization)

 
The children can write Energy in the middle circle and also write in any facts or information that they already know.

In the surrounding circles they can list any energy forms that they know with facts, questions, etc. Younger students can draw pictures or dictate their information to an older student, parent, teacher, etc.

Energy: the ability to do work, cause motion, or produce change

Energy Forms: Electricity, Magnetism, Light, Sound, Solar, Heat, Wind, Mechanical, etc.

The children can share their information, pictures, and questions with each other and share how they use energy in their own lives.

WELCOME!!!!!

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

clipart by www.GraphicsFactory.com


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