Light and Colors
Learning objectives:
Learning Objectives
Assessment Criteria
To investigate by making hypotheses, collecting data and interpreting logically
Students will be asked to design the laboratory activity with the given materials and instructions. They will be required to plan the procedures and make hypotheses of each experiment prior to performing the lab. As they collect the data and interpret the results, students will obtain scientific investigations skills.
To explain how light absorbs certain colors of light and reflects certain colors so that our eyes perceive a variety of colors.
Students will use white light, cellophane with different colors and different colored cloth or paper to investigate how the source of light can affect the color our eyes perceive. Students will observe that color changes as different color of light is lit on the cloth or paper. Students will answer the post-lab questions to investigate why the color changes and what it means to see color.
Benchmark/Standard:
Relationship to the driving question:
In the room with no source of light, do objects have colors? Why or why not?
This question will help students to think further about what color means and how it is related to light.
Prior Knowledge/Prior Conceptions:
Students often fail to understand that color of objects is the reflection of light. Students fail to think that when there is no source of light, technically, there is no color either.
Instructional strategies:
This lesson is a student-designed and student-lead discussion/demonstration. Also, as they write their own experiments, they will gain writing skills as well.
Instructional resources used:
Materials and set-up needed: Cellophane (various colors but red, blue and yellow are essential), flash light, cloth or paper (different colors but red, blue and yellow are essential.), possibly black boxes to cut off other sources of light.
Time required: 80minutes (one class period – block schedule)
Cautions: Nothing in particular.
1. Introducing the lesson: Start with the driving question “In the room with no source of light, do objects have colors? Why or why not?” Students will be required to write down their answers in a piece of paper. In smaller groups, students will share their answers and reasoning. Then, students will be asked to share their ideas with the whole class. If the students do not hit the point that “white light consists of all colors (previous lab activity), and black means no color. Learning goals will be provided.
2. Body of the lesson: Students will be given all the materials. Based on their answers to the driving questions, students will be asked to make hypotheses and brainstorm with classmates to think of ways to test their hypotheses. If some students are really lost or off from the basic procedure provided, guide them by taking questions and answering them. The activity is designed to test their hypotheses by shining the light with different colors on sheets of paper with different colors. When they find out that certain colored paper does not reflect any color (ex: red paper and green light, the color of the paper will be black), then they will be able to see that colors are not there when there is no right color to reflect. Informing that black color means no reflected light may be necessary.
3. Wrapping up the lesson: Since the students were asked to design their own experiments, at the end of the lesson, the instructor will set up a simple demonstration that will hit the points across. The simple demonstration will show that if a different color of light is illuminated on the cloth, the cloth’s color will be black or dark brown. The instructor should also demonstrate a different combination of colors, such as purple cloth and blue light to observe that the cloth’s color will be blue. The worksheet with questions will be given.
4. Evaluating learning: By looking at the designed experiments, the instructor can evaluate whether or not the student learned how to hypothesize and make appropriate procedure with the given materials. This will also help students to understand how to interpret and use the data. The post-lab questions will be given to students. The post-lab questions will be used to determine if students can explain colors are perceived by eyes when certain colors are absorbed or reflected.
Evaluating questions:
How did you link your hypothesis to designing an experiment?
What were the factors that you changed to test your hypothesis?
What have you observed? – What were the colors you saw on the cloth? Was it the same color as you would usually see?
Neatly organize your results in the table.
Does it support your hypothesis? If it does, what can you conclude from the results about light? If not, what do the results tell you and what does this tell you about light?
Do you have any further questions?
Design Rationale: The driving question was given in the beginning of the lesson to help students think about the topic. This is also a formative assessment for the instructor to identify any misconceptions the students might have and to gauge how much students understand about the concept. By making the students talk among them before the presentation, students can learn from each other and bring out a positive discussion on light and colors. The students will also be able to gain oral skills by presenting their ideas to class.
Learning goals will be provided for students to identify the expectations and have a general direction on how to design the activity.
Based on the hypotheses they will construct from answering the driving question, students will design their own experiments. The materials will be given to them to guide them to the right direction. By designing their own experiments, students will be more engaged in the activity since they will be more curious about what the outcome will be. Also, they will actively participate in class (not just following directions), and this will stretch students to think critically and to apply scientific methods.
The post-lab questions are provided to guide the students to identify which concepts students have understood through the activity. The questions will also help the students to self-assess what they are expected to know. The wrap-up will be instructor’s demonstration, and this will help students to identify how they can improve their experiments and the important points they might have missed. This demonstration will also help the instructor to guide the students to the correct concept.
Learning objectives:
- To explain how light absorbs certain colors of light and reflects certain colors so that our eyes perceive a variety of colors.
- To investigate by making hypotheses, collecting data, and interpreting logically.
Learning Objectives
Assessment Criteria
To investigate by making hypotheses, collecting data and interpreting logically
Students will be asked to design the laboratory activity with the given materials and instructions. They will be required to plan the procedures and make hypotheses of each experiment prior to performing the lab. As they collect the data and interpret the results, students will obtain scientific investigations skills.
To explain how light absorbs certain colors of light and reflects certain colors so that our eyes perceive a variety of colors.
Students will use white light, cellophane with different colors and different colored cloth or paper to investigate how the source of light can affect the color our eyes perceive. Students will observe that color changes as different color of light is lit on the cloth or paper. Students will answer the post-lab questions to investigate why the color changes and what it means to see color.
Benchmark/Standard:
- Something that can be “seen” when light waves emitted or reflected by it enter the eye-just as something can be “heard” when sound waves from it enter the ear. 4F/M2
- Scientific investigations usually involve the collection of relevant data, the use of logical reasoning, and the application of imagination in devising hypotheses and explanations to make sense of the collected data. 1B/M1b
- What people expect to observe often affects what they actually do observe. Strong beliefs about what should happen in particular circumstances can prevent them from detecting other results. 1B/M3ab
Relationship to the driving question:
In the room with no source of light, do objects have colors? Why or why not?
This question will help students to think further about what color means and how it is related to light.
Prior Knowledge/Prior Conceptions:
Students often fail to understand that color of objects is the reflection of light. Students fail to think that when there is no source of light, technically, there is no color either.
Instructional strategies:
This lesson is a student-designed and student-lead discussion/demonstration. Also, as they write their own experiments, they will gain writing skills as well.
Instructional resources used:
Materials and set-up needed: Cellophane (various colors but red, blue and yellow are essential), flash light, cloth or paper (different colors but red, blue and yellow are essential.), possibly black boxes to cut off other sources of light.
Time required: 80minutes (one class period – block schedule)
Cautions: Nothing in particular.
1. Introducing the lesson: Start with the driving question “In the room with no source of light, do objects have colors? Why or why not?” Students will be required to write down their answers in a piece of paper. In smaller groups, students will share their answers and reasoning. Then, students will be asked to share their ideas with the whole class. If the students do not hit the point that “white light consists of all colors (previous lab activity), and black means no color. Learning goals will be provided.
2. Body of the lesson: Students will be given all the materials. Based on their answers to the driving questions, students will be asked to make hypotheses and brainstorm with classmates to think of ways to test their hypotheses. If some students are really lost or off from the basic procedure provided, guide them by taking questions and answering them. The activity is designed to test their hypotheses by shining the light with different colors on sheets of paper with different colors. When they find out that certain colored paper does not reflect any color (ex: red paper and green light, the color of the paper will be black), then they will be able to see that colors are not there when there is no right color to reflect. Informing that black color means no reflected light may be necessary.
3. Wrapping up the lesson: Since the students were asked to design their own experiments, at the end of the lesson, the instructor will set up a simple demonstration that will hit the points across. The simple demonstration will show that if a different color of light is illuminated on the cloth, the cloth’s color will be black or dark brown. The instructor should also demonstrate a different combination of colors, such as purple cloth and blue light to observe that the cloth’s color will be blue. The worksheet with questions will be given.
4. Evaluating learning: By looking at the designed experiments, the instructor can evaluate whether or not the student learned how to hypothesize and make appropriate procedure with the given materials. This will also help students to understand how to interpret and use the data. The post-lab questions will be given to students. The post-lab questions will be used to determine if students can explain colors are perceived by eyes when certain colors are absorbed or reflected.
Evaluating questions:
How did you link your hypothesis to designing an experiment?
What were the factors that you changed to test your hypothesis?
What have you observed? – What were the colors you saw on the cloth? Was it the same color as you would usually see?
Neatly organize your results in the table.
Does it support your hypothesis? If it does, what can you conclude from the results about light? If not, what do the results tell you and what does this tell you about light?
Do you have any further questions?
Design Rationale: The driving question was given in the beginning of the lesson to help students think about the topic. This is also a formative assessment for the instructor to identify any misconceptions the students might have and to gauge how much students understand about the concept. By making the students talk among them before the presentation, students can learn from each other and bring out a positive discussion on light and colors. The students will also be able to gain oral skills by presenting their ideas to class.
Learning goals will be provided for students to identify the expectations and have a general direction on how to design the activity.
Based on the hypotheses they will construct from answering the driving question, students will design their own experiments. The materials will be given to them to guide them to the right direction. By designing their own experiments, students will be more engaged in the activity since they will be more curious about what the outcome will be. Also, they will actively participate in class (not just following directions), and this will stretch students to think critically and to apply scientific methods.
The post-lab questions are provided to guide the students to identify which concepts students have understood through the activity. The questions will also help the students to self-assess what they are expected to know. The wrap-up will be instructor’s demonstration, and this will help students to identify how they can improve their experiments and the important points they might have missed. This demonstration will also help the instructor to guide the students to the correct concept.