Classroom Resource

Light Absorption, Reflection, & Refraction StudyJam

Subject Area

Science

Grade(s)

1, 4, 8

Overview

Light always travels in a straight line until something gets in its way. When that happens, light can be absorbed, reflected (bounced off), or refracted (bent), depending on what kind of surface it hits.

The classroom resource provides a video that will explain how light can move on and through different surfaces. This resource can provide background information for students before they create their own models or conduct their own investigations. There is also a short test that can be used to assess students' understanding.

Science (2015) Grade(s): 1

SC15.1.2

Construct explanations from observations that objects can be seen only when light is available to illuminate them (e.g., moon being illuminated by the sun, colors and patterns in a kaleidoscope being illuminated when held toward a light).

Unpacked Content

UP:SC15.1.2

Vocabulary

  • light
  • illuminate
  • construct
  • explanation
  • observation
  • available
  • objects

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Light comes from different sources (natural/man-made).
  • Objects can be seen only when there is a light source.
  • Objects can be seen if they give off their own light.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Gather evidence from observations to support the explanation that objects can only be seen when illuminated.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Objects can be seen only when a light source causes it to be illuminated.

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

Crosscutting Concepts

Cause and Effect
Science (2015) Grade(s): 1

SC15.1.3

Investigate materials to determine which types allow light to pass through (e.g., transparent materials such as clear plastic wrap), allow only partial light to pass through (e.g., translucent materials such as wax paper), block light (e.g., opaque materials such as construction paper), or reflect light (e.g., shiny materials such as aluminum foil).

Unpacked Content

UP:SC15.1.3

Vocabulary

  • transparent
  • translucent
  • opaque
  • reflect
  • investigate
  • observe
  • light
  • partial
  • block
  • material
  • record
  • data
  • shiny

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Some materials allow all light to pass through.
  • Some materials allow partial light to pass through.
  • Some materials block all the light from passing through.
  • Some materials reflect light, which changes its direction.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Investigate to determine the effect of placing objects made of different materials in a beam of light.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Simple tests can gather evidence to determine that placing different materials in a beam of light will cause light to either: pass through, partially pass through, block, or reflect.

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Planning and Carrying out Investigations

Crosscutting Concepts

Cause and Effect
Science (2015) Grade(s): 4

SC15.4.2

Plan and carry out investigations that explain transference of energy from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents.

Unpacked Content

UP:SC15.4.2

Vocabulary

  • Construct
  • Transfer
  • Energy
  • Potential energy
  • Kinetic energy
  • Friction
  • Conduction
  • Absorb
  • Reflect
  • Circuit
  • Open circuit
  • Close circuit
  • Heat
  • Radiation
  • Convection
  • Collision
  • Motion
  • Electrical energy
  • Stored energy

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Energy is present whenever there are moving objects, sound, light, or heat.
  • The transfer of energy, including the following:
    • Collisions between objects.
    • Light traveling from one place to another.
    • Electric currents producing motion, sound, heat, or light.
    • Sound traveling from one place to another.
    • Heat passing from one object to another.
    • Motion, sound, heat, and light causing a different type of energy to be observed after an interaction.
  • Heat is produced in many ways.
  • Heat can move via conduction.
  • The properties of different objects cause them to be able to absorb, reflect, and/or conduct energy.
  • Electric currents pass through a circuit.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Collaboratively plan and carry out an investigation that converts energy one form to another.
    • Identify the phenomenon.
    • Identify the evidence to address the purpose of the investigation.
    • Collect the data.
  • Construct an explanation using evidence about heat production.
  • Develop a model demonstrating that different objects can absorb, reflect, and/or conduct energy.
  • Develop a model demonstrating electric circuits.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Energy can be transferred in various ways and between objects.
  • Heat energy can be produced in many ways.
  • The properties of objects, e.g. ability to absorb, reflect, or conduct energy, relate to their function.
  • Electric energy can be transferred through circuits.

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Planning and Carrying out Investigations; Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions; Developing and Using Models

Crosscutting Concepts

Energy and Matter
Science (2015) Grade(s): 4

SC15.4.8

Construct a model to explain that an object can be seen when light reflected from its surface enters the eyes.

Unpacked Content

UP:SC15.4.8

Vocabulary

  • reflection
  • opaque
  • translucent
  • transparent
  • refraction

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Light enters the eye, allowing objects to be seen.
  • Light reflects off of objects, and then can travel and enter the eye.
  • Objects can be seen only if light follows a path between a light source, the object, and the eye.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Construct a model to make sense of a phenomenon.
  • Identify relevant components of the model including: light (including the light source), objects, the path that light follows, and the eye.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • An object can be seen when light reflected from its surface enters the eyes.

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Developing and Using Models

Crosscutting Concepts

Cause and Effect
Science (2015) Grade(s): 8

SC15.8.18

Use models to demonstrate how light and sound waves differ in how they are absorbed, reflected, and transmitted through different types of media.

Unpacked Content

UP:SC15.8.18

Vocabulary

  • Light
  • Sound
  • Absorption
  • Reflection
  • Transmission
  • Media
  • Transparent
  • Translucent
  • Opaque
  • Frequency
  • Amplitude
  • Wavelength
  • Electromagnetic waves

Knowledge

Students know:
  • A medium is not required to transmit electromagnetic waves.
  • A sound wave, a type of mechanical wave, needs a medium through which it is transmitted.
  • When a sound wave strikes an object, it is absorbed, reflected, or transmitted depending on the object's material.
  • When a light wave shines on an object, it is absorbed, reflected, or transmitted depending on the object's material and the frequency of the light.
  • The path that light travels can be traced as straight lines, except at surfaces between different transparent materials (e.g., air and water, air and glass) where the path of light bends.
  • The absorption, reflection, and transmission of light and sound waves can be identified by observing relevant characteristics of the wave, such as frequency, amplitude, and wavelength.
  • Materials with certain properties are well-suited for particular functions (e.g., lenses and mirrors, sound absorbers in concert halls, colored light filters, sound barriers next to highways).

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Develop models of light and sound waves and identify the relevant components.
  • Describe the relationships between components of the model.
  • Use observations from the model to provide causal accounts for events and make predictions for events by constructing explanations.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Light and sound waves differ in how they interact with different types of media.
  • The absorption, reflection, and transmission of light and sound waves depends on the type of media through which they are transmitted.
  • Materials with certain properties are well-suited for particular functions (e.g., lenses and mirrors, sound absorbers in concert halls, colored light filters, sound barriers next to highways).

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Developing and Using Models

Crosscutting Concepts

Structure and Function
Link to Resource
https://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/energy-light-sound/ligh…

CR Resource Type

Audio/Video

Resource Provider

http://studyjams.scholastic.com/
Accessibility
License

License Type

Custom

Custom License Type (URL)

http://www.scholastic.com/terms.htm

Comments or Notes

The test may be completed as a whole group or independently on student devices.

Approved Date

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