Science Journal: Grade 4 Light Unit Name: _____________________________ Natural Vs. Artificial Light Date: ____________________________ Light that occurs in nature is natural light. Light that is created by people, and does not occur naturally is artificial light. Artificial Light Natural Light In the Chart are objects of sources of light. Identify them as either Natural or Artifical sources of light and whether they give off heat or produce no heat at all. Object Natural or Artificial? Gives off heat or produces no heat? Light bulb Candle Sun Lamp Fireflies Flashlight Emitting vs. Reflecting Light Date: _______________________________ Most things do not actually emit their own light but we see them because light bounces off them. They reflect light and some objects reflect light better than others. Directions: Identify whether each object is a ‘source of light’ or if it is a ‘reflection of light’. Write ‘source of light’ or ‘reflection of light’ in the box next to each object. Objects: Source of light or Reflection of light?: Cat’s eyes Moon Laser Stars Sun Forest fire Match flame Candle Bicycle reflector Light bulb firefly Directions: Identify each object as a light source or a reflector. Write ‘light source’ or ‘reflector’ in the box. Human-Made Sources of Light Date: __________________________ Different types of Human-made sources of light were designed to solve problems within our daily lives. We use these sources of light at school, home and in the community daily. Directions: In the chart below, brainstorm types of lights that are used in your school, home and community. Write or draw it down in the source of light column and then explain the problem that that light solved in the next column. In the last column explain how you can conserve this light by its length of use or by using other types of sources of light. Source of Light Problem it solved How to conserve this energy Negative Effects of Exposure to Light Experiment Date:_________________________ Purpose: Students will experiment to see the effects of sun exposure and what it can do to human skin and eyes. Materials: 4 Styrofoam plates, Hand full of UV beads, 3 different types of sunscreen (SPF 15, 30 and 45). *Instructions posted on the board* Predict: (What do you think is going to happen?) Observe: (What do you see happening during the experiment? Draw what is happening if you can.) Explain: (What happened and why do you think it happened? Any theories?) Light Dispersion Experiment Date:__________________________ Purpose: To show the separation of white light Materials: Prism, screen or wall, flashlight, bristol board or heavy paper Predict: (What do you think is going to happen?) Observe: 1. 2. (What do you see happening during the experiment?) Explain: (What happened and why do you think it happened? Any theories?) Extension: Using your knowledge from this experiment and ‘dispersion’, explain how rainbows are formed and appear in the sky. __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ Colour Wheels Experiment Date: ___________________________ Purpose: To reinforce the concept that white light is made of colours. Materials: 7 crayons: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo (blue plus purple), and violet (purple); scissors; 24” of strong, thin string; sharpened pencil Predict: (What do you think is going to happen?) Observe: (What do you see happening during the experiment? Draw what is happening if you can.) Explain: (What happened and why do you think it happened? Any theories?) Spinning White Light Materials: 7 crayons: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo (blue plus purple), and violet (purple); scissors; 24” of strong, thin string; sharpened pencil Steps: 1. Colour each section of the wheel using the colours shown. 2. Cut out the wheel. Using a pencil, carefully poke two small holes in the center of the wheel as shown (Figure 1). 3. Thread the string through the holes and tie the ends together. Center the circle on the string (Figure 2). 4. Follow your teacher’s directions to make the spinner spin properly (Figure 3). Light Interaction with Objects Experiment Date: __________________________ Purpose: To observe the effect of a light on different types of materials. Materials: Clear glass or transparent plastic wrap; waxed paper; cardboard, flashlight Transparent Object-Clear Glass or plastic wrap Prediction: Observations: Diagram of observation: Explanation: My definition of Transparent from observation is... Translucent Object- Waxed paper Prediction: Observation: Diagram of Observation: Explanation: My definition of Translucent from observation is... Opaque Object- Cardboard Prediction: Observations: Diagram of Observations: Explanation: My definition of Opaque from observation is... Transparent, Translucent and Opaque Classification Date: ____________________________ Purpose: To reinforce the concepts of transparent, translucent and Opaque objects. Materials: flashlights; writing paper; newspaper; plastic wrap; tin can; plain glass edged with tape; frosted glass edged with tape; magnifying glass; sunglasses; latex glove; construction paper; tissue paper; aluminum foil; white plastic lid; a leaf, etc. Classify each object as transparent, translucent, or opaque Transparent Translucent Opaque (can see through (can see through but (cannot see through at clearly) not clearly) all) Changes is Shadows Experiment Date: __________________________ Purpose: To show the changes in a shadow’s shape, size and location. Materials: Flashlight; puppet Predict: (What do you think is going to happen?) Observe: 1. When the puppet is in the middle of light source (What do you see happening during the experiment? Draw a picture for each situation.) 2. When puppet is on the left of light source 3. When puppet is on the right of light source 4. When puppet is closer to the light source 5. When puppet is farther from the light source Explain: (What happened and why do you think it happened? Any theories?) Extension: Using your knowledge from this experiment with shadows, draw where the shadow of the house would be at each time of the day. The Path of Light Experiment Date: _________________________ Purpose: To show how light travels. Materials: two pieces of bristol board; flashlight; modeling clay; scissors; mirrors Predict: (What do you think is going to happen?) Observe: 1. Path of light with bristol boards (What do you see happening during the experiment? Draw a picture for each situation.) 2. Path of light when shone into a mirror Explain: (What happened and why do you think it happened? Any theories?) Reflective Properties of Different Shapes and Textures Experiment Date: _________________________ Purpose: To observe the reflective properties of different shapes and textures. Materials: Flashlight; mirror; flat foil; crumpled foil; white paper; coloured paper; spoon Predict: (What do you think is going to happen?) Observe: 1. Mirror (What do you see happening during the experiment? Draw a picture for each situation.) 2. Flat foil 3. Crumpled foil 4. White paper 5. Coloured paper 6. spoon Explain: (What happened and why do you think it happened? Any theories?) Refractive properties of materials and shapes Experiment Date: __________________________ Purpose: To observe the refractive properties of materials and shapes Materials: Drinking glass; ruler; pencil; prism; flashlight; sheet with print on it; jar; water pitcher (or anything that holds enough water); water dropper; overhead transparency; water Predict: Station #1: (What do you think is going to happen?) Observe: (What do you see happening during the experiment? Draw a picture for each situation.) Predict: Station #2: (What do you think is going to happen?) Observe: (What do you see happening during the experiment? Draw a picture for each situation.) Predict: (What do you think is going to happen?) Observe: (What do you see happening during the experiment? Draw a picture for each situation.) Station #3: Predict: Station #4: (What do you think is going to happen?) Observe: (What do you see happening during the experiment? Draw a picture for each situation.) Explain: (What happened and why do you think it happened? Any theories?) Extension: Using your knowledge from this experiment on refraction, is there any optical devices that we use today that uses these properties of refraction? __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________. Light and Optical Devices Date: _____________________________ Purpose: To examine and compare how light interacts with different optical devices. Materials: Kaleidoscopes; reading glasses; periscopes; magnifying glasses Predict: (What do you think is going to happen?) Object: Observations: Kaleidoscopes Reading glasses Periscopes Magnifying glasses Explain: (What happened and why do you think it happened? Any theories?) What property of light was used in each of the optical devices? 1. Kaleidoscopes: 2. Reading glasses: 3. Periscopes: 4. Magnifying glasses: Creating Optical Devices Date: ____________________________ Purpose: To create your own optical device that performs a specific function. Materials: The Optical device that I created was: ___________________________ My Drawing of my optical device: The function that this optical device performs is... _________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________. The property of light that it uses is... __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________.
