Light Wave Interaction with Matter
Resource ID#: 76126
Primary Type: Lesson Plan
This document was generated on CPALMS - www.cpalms.org
Light travels at an incredible fast speed and it allows us to see everything around us. It travels as a wave which interacts with different types of
matter in a different way. This lesson is designed for 7th grade students to investigate the different ways in which light waves interact with matter.
The type of matter depends on which state the object is in - solid, liquid or gas.
Note: The lesson covers only part of the standard addressed.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): 7
Intended Audience: Educators
Suggested Technology: Document Camera,
Computer for Presenter, Internet Connection, LCD
Projector, Overhead Projector
Instructional Time: 59 Minute(s)
Resource supports reading in content area: Yes
Freely Available: Yes
Keywords: waves, frequency, refraction, reflection, absorption, amplitude, wavelength, wave speed, transparent,
Instructional Component Type(s): Lesson Plan,
translucent, opaque,
Video/Audio/Animation, Formative Assessment
Resource Collection: FCR-STEMLearn Physical Sciences
LESSON CONTENT
Lesson Plan Template: Learning Cycle (5E Model)
Learning Objectives: What will students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?
1. Students will be able to explain that waves move at different speeds through different materials.
2. Students will be able to describe pitch in terms of frequency.
Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE STANDARDS:
1. SC.3.P.10.1: Identify some basic forms of energy such as light, heat, sound, electrical, and mechanical.
2. SC.5.P.10.1: Investigate and describe some basic forms of energy, including light, heat, sound, electrical, chemical, and mechanical.
3. SC.3.P.10.3: Demonstrate that light travels in a straight line until it strikes an object or travels from one medium to another.
Students should know what matter is. [This was taught in a previous lesson. To get more information on what matter is, open the following link that will take
you to a website that shares some valuable information about the properties of matter.]
Students should know the properties of the states of matter - Solid, liquid, gas. This was also taught in a previous lesson. More information on the
properties of the states of matter can be found also in the link given in # 1 above in addition to the following video by Study Jam on scholastic.com.The site also has
a self-assessment quiz that could be assigned individually or used as whole class review.
Students should know what energy is and the basic forms of energy.
Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
How do the properties of light determine its interaction with matter? (Sample Answer: Light travels in a straight line but changes direction or speed when it moves
from one property of matter to the next. It slows down from a vacuum to water.)
What are the properties of matter that determine how well it transmits light? (Sample Answer: Some matter will either allow light to pass directly through such as a
clear glass and is described as transparent. Some matter will prevent light from passing through (an opaque object) and will either cause light to reflect (like a
mirror) or absorbed such as a table with a black surface. Some object will allow some light to pass through such as a frosted shower glass and is described as
being translucent.)
page 1 of 4 How do waves interact with matter? (Sample Answer: Waves interact with matter by either passing through it, bouncing off it, changing direction, changing speed,
or being absorbed by it.)
How do the properties of solids, liquids and gases affect the speed of sound waves? (Sample Answer: The particles of solid are close together which cause sound
waves to travel better and faster. The particles of liquid are not so close and causes the sound waves to slow down as in water. The particles of a gas are farther
apart which slows down the speed even more as in air.)
How is frequency related to wave speed? (Sample Answer:Frequency is the measure of the speed of wave as it passes from one point to the next over a given
time.)
Engage: What object, event, or questions will the teacher use to trigger the students' curiosity and engage them in the concepts?
A. DEMONSTRATION
Open lesson with a demonstration and probing questions:
Directions for demonstration
Place a small object, but big enough for students to see in a corner of the room.
Turn off the lights so the students are no longer able to see the object.
Probing Question
Ask students: Can you see the object? Why? [Sample answer: Students will say no, because there is no light, or the light is not bright enough.]
Directions for demonstration (continued)
Turn on a flashlight and shine it on the object.
Probing Questions (continued)
Ask students: Can you now see the object? Why? [Sample answer: Students will say yes, because the light is shining on the object]
Ask students: What is light? [Sample answers:Light is energy that helps you to see objects, a wave]
B. INTRODUCTION
Introduce lesson with guiding questions and have students turn and talk to their neighbors for a few minutes about the questions and what they think the answers
could be.
After a few minutes ask students to share their answers, and generate a brief whole class discussion in order to give students feedback as to the correctness of
their responses.
C. HOOK: Use probing questions trigger students' thinking. To do this students first are placed in small groups of 3 and given sticky notes to write their letter choice.
(See Attached Probe). [Teacher sample answer to the probe: Mary will see the same amount of her face from her eyebrows to her chin. It is a
misconception that the further away you go from a mirror, the more you will see of yourself.]
D. DISCUSSION:
Whole Group: Place post-it notes on Chart Paper to create a graph of students' responses. Now facilitate a whole group discussion about what the bar graph tells
the class about their thinking.
Small Group: Instruct students to talk about the explanations to their answers in their small groups.
E. REFLECTION: Instruct students to do a Quick Write to explain what they understand about the relationship between light and the image Mary sees as she backs
away from the mirror discussed in the probe.
Explore: What will the students do to explore the concepts and skills being developed through the lesson?
1. WAVES EVERYWHERE
TEACHER ACTIVITY: The teacher will read a story to the students then ask students to identify and record in their Science notebooks as many examples of waves as
they can observe from the story.
Story: "You went to the beach one sunny day with your friend."
The day was very hot, so both of you decided to use some sun block and get a good dose of sunlight.
Your friend turned on his iPod and shared one side of his earphones with you so both of you could listen to some reggae music.
On your way home you stopped to get some dinner. You bought something that was microwavable.
When you got home you heated it up in the microwave.
While you were for it to cook, you decided to play a video game that was hooked up to your television set."
STUDENT ACTIVITY: Students will identify and record in their notebooks as many examples of waves they observe from the story.
Sample Answers may include :
waves in the ocean
light waves from the sun and the television set
sound waves from the iPod and video game
microwaves from the microwave oven
2. MAKING WAVES ACTIVITY
TEACHER ACTIVITY:
Tell students they are going to explore the cause of waves while working in small groups.
Ask students what they think causes waves and what determines how big a wave will be.
Instruct students to note their answers in their notebook.
Fill a shallow tub, such as a serving bowl, with water for each group.
Tell students they will drop different objects (a small stone, pieces of cork) into the water and observe the effect. Students should write down in their Science
notebooks what they think the result will be.
STUDENTS ACTIVITY: [Predict-Observe-Explain, POE]
Students will write in their notebook to predict what the result will be when they drop each object in the water.
Student will drop the small stone first and observe, then the pieces of cork and observe.
page 2 of 4 Students will write in their notebooks to explain what they observed.
3. WATER MAGNIFIER LAB
TEACHER ACTIVITY: (Water Magnifier Lab)
Teacher will do a quick lab with students to explore how light changes as it travels through different materials by observing how the size of a pencil and spoon
appears to change when objects are submerged in a beaker of water.
Explain: What will the students and teacher do so students have opportunities to clarify their ideas, reach a conclusion or
generalization, and communicate what they know to others?
1. Use 2-column note-taking. Students will read pages their text book or research on the internet and make notes on selected concepts and key terms.
After review text book pages, assign students appropriate pages to read and use their 2-column notes worksheet to write about:
a. Refraction
b. The states of matter and their properties
c. Describe transparent, translucent and opaque
d. What is frequency?
e. How to calculate frequency?
Show and explain a video on energy light and sound from StudyJams at Scholastic.com
Teacher prepares 3 probing questions for students to respond in their notebooks to from the video:
a. How are sound waves similar to ocean waves? (Sound waves carry energy just like waves do.)
b. What makes sound waves different from each other? (They have different frequency)
c. How does frequency measure sound pitch? (By measuring the number of times the sound wave repeats in one second.)
REFLECTION
Students do a quick write in their notebook to describe at least one way sounds with lower than zero decibels can be useful? (They can be used to help predict when
volcanoes might erupt.)
Elaborate: What will the students do to apply their conceptual understanding and skills to solve a problem, make a decision,
perform a task, or make sense of new knowledge?
1. Frayer Model
2. Flip chart (Optional)
Assign students to complete a Frayer model that would show their understanding of at least four the key terms of the lesson. (See attachment).
Key Terms:
a. Refraction
b. Reflection
c. Frequency
d. Wavelength
Teacher may assign a flip chart to be completed by low functioning students. Other students may complete flip chart for extra credit. Use a rubric to guide students
performance. See the attachment for a guide for how to make a flip chart and a sample rubric.
Summative Assessment
Students will do a mini-quiz covering the lesson objective at the end of the lesson.
Student reflections will be completed in the journals and be recorded as a completion/participation grade.
Formative Assessment
1. Teacher will distribute sticky notes to students to record the letter of their answer choice from the "Now You See Me, Now You Don't" probe. This will help to gather
information on what students already know about light and waves.
2. Teacher will make a tally sheet from students' responses to probing questions and create a graph in order to focus teacher's whole group discussion on student
thinking.
3. Students will describe their learning at the end of the lesson using the key terms presented by first sharing them with their elbow partners and comparing their
answers, and then sharing out to the class for teacher feedback.
Feedback to Students
Students will get feedback about their performance or understanding at each of the lesson transitions from the teacher.
When the teacher reviews student reflections in their notebooks at the end of the lesson written feedback will be provided.
The Teacher will check students understanding of the lesson and give feedback each time they are asked to share written reflections from their notebook at the end
of each transition segment of the lesson.
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Accommodations:
Accommodations to this lesson includes:
Read all instructions projected on overhead to accommodate visually challenged learners.
Allow extra time to complete activities and quiz
Allow verbal responses along with written responses for students with reading or writing problems.
Differentiation instruction in this lesson could include:
Allow advance students to create a PowerPoint to share what they learn as part of the evaluation section.
page 3 of 4 Allow students to identify a list of ways understanding waves can be useful around them.
Suggested Technology: Document Camera, Computer for Presenter, Internet Connection, LCD Projector, Overhead Projector
Special Materials Needed:
Mini Lab activity sheet (materials are found on sheet)
All Student Handouts
Further Recommendations:
Students could build a project using mirrors to demonstrate their knowledge of reflection and light.
Students could also use speakers to build projects to demonstrate the impact of sound vibration from sound waves on objects such as water, and tiny particles such
as sand.
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Contributed by: Donald Jackson
Name of Author/Source: Donald Jackson
District/Organization of Contributor(s): Pinellas
Is this Resource freely Available? Yes
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
Related Standards
Name
SC.7.P.10.3:
Description
Recognize that light waves, sound waves, and other waves move at different speeds in different materials.
page 4 of 4