Lesson Plan : Properties of Light

Teacher Name:
 Kathy thomas
Grade:
 Grade 3
Subject:
 Science

Topic:
 Light
Content:
 Key Vocabulary: Transparent, translucent, opaque, mirror, reflection, scatter, prism
Goals:
 S.3-5.4.27 Shows how light travels in a straight line until it strikes an object. S.3-5.4.28 Demonstrates that light can be reflected by a mirror, refracted by a lens, or absorbed by an object. S.3-5.4.29 Identifies materials that light passes through and materials that block light.
Objectives:
 Students will understand how light travels. Students will experiment with flashlights and mirrors, and random objects. Students will describe how light is reflected.
Materials:
 Flashlights, mirrors,prisms, Properties of Light chart from previous lesson, random objects that will not reflect light.
Introduction:
 Make sure the lights are off. Use the flashlight to direct a ray of light to a dark corner of the room. Ask students what has stopped the light from moving any further. (Light travels in a straight line) The wall is opaque.
Development:
 Review the properties of light: transparent, translucent, opaque. Divide into groups and allow each group to experiment with a flashlight. Direct groups to watch while teacher directs the ray of light to the mirror. Ask students what has happened. (Light is reflected off the shiny, flat surface.) Direct the ray of light on the carpet and ask if there is a reflection. (No reflection because the surface is rough and light is scattered.)
Practice:
 Instruct students to use the flashlights and mirrors to practice getting a reflection and also on a rough surface to allow light to scatter. What happens when the ray of light hits the back of the mirror? Same result? Different? Is the mirror opaque, translucent, or transparent?
Accommodations:
 
Checking For Understanding:
 Monitor progress, making sure students are recording data and are on task.
Closure:
 Turn off the lights to signal the end of the experiment. Review responses from each group.
Evaluation:
 How does light affect our daily lives? How can we control the amount of light we use? What do you think would happen ifyou wrote a word backward and help the paper up to a mirror?
Teacher Reflections:
 This lesson can be extended to the next day to include spectrum and white light.

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