Lesson Title: Spectroscope Construction
Amount of time for this lesson = 60 minutes
1. Standards and Safety and Materials:
A. Standards K-2Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to
ETS1-1. define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.
K-2ETS1-2.
Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it
function as needed to solve a given problem.
1-PS43.
Plan and conduct investigations to determine the effect of placing objects made with different materials in
the path of a beam of light
B. Safety Concerns: minimal safety concerns with regular class activity
C. Materials:
1. prisms (1 per group of 4)
2. a cereal box (1 per student)
3. diffraction grating 1,000 lines/mm (can be bought from Amazon.com $9.99)
4. a pair of scissors
5. a roll of tape
6. a pen
2. Objective:
Students will build a spectroscope to observe and collect data with.
3. Connections, Misconceptions, and Crosscutting Concepts:
A. Real world connections: Physicists-study of light
B. Student connections: Students will understand that tools can be built to help learn about objects in their world.
C. Misconceptions: every light source will show a rainbow
D. Academic Language: spectra, spectrum, diffraction grading
4. Catch/Engagement: Give students 5-10 minutes to explore prisms and discuss within their group what they observed
and formulate some questions they may have.
5. Activity/Exploration:
Part 1: Discussion
Have each group share with the class what they discovered through experimenting with prisms. Also
allow time for students to ask questions they developed and have the class make predictions to the answers.
Part 2: Lab
Students will build a spectroscope following the attached steps.
After the construction of the spectroscope allow time for students to explore using their new tool.
Part 3: Discussion-Students will return to their group and talk about what they observed, discovered and new
questions they may have. Each group will share with the whole class their findings.
6. Timeline:
A. Catch
B. Activity
C. Conclusion
10 min
40 min
10 min
How to Build a Spectoscope:
Taken directly from stero.gsfc.nasa.gov/classroom/spectroscope.shtml
STEP 1
Select one end of the cereal box, and close the flaps. Place a diffraction grating on this end and outline it with the
sharpie. This will be referred to as the front of your "Spectroscope". (Note: Diffraction gratings can be obtained from
various educational science resource stores)
STEP 2
Open the flaps and cut a hole smaller than the size of your outline in the cereal box. If the spectral lines are not vertical,
like the picture below, you need to turn the grating 90 degrees.
STEP 3
Tape the cereal box flaps closed. Arrange your diffraction grating right side up (so you can read the label), then tape it
over the hole you just cut. Make sure you can look through the grating and see inside the box.
STEP 4
Rotate the box around so you are now looking at the opposite end. (This will be the back of your “Spectroscope”). Close
the two flaps and draw a line down the center (top to bottom, not side to side). The line should be directly opposite the
diffraction grating, and centered.
STEP 5
Cut along the mark you just made, making a very, very narrow slit in the box.
STEP 6
Close and tape the flaps on the back of your box. You point the slit at the light source and the spectral lines are projected
onto the SIDE of the box.
You're done! Look through the grating in your spectroscope to see the light spectrum!