Where the Light is Heide K and Asma’a F

NGSS 1-PS4-2. Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that objects can be seen only when illuminated. [Clarification Statement: Examples of observations could include those made in a completely dark room, a pinhole box, and a video of a cave explorer with a flashlight. Illumination could be from an external light source or by an object giving off its own light.]

Engage Have students sit on carpet and close eyes. Ask the following questions: What do you see? Introduce “Pout-Pout Fish in the Big Big Dark” https://youtu.be/xFQcG4MOMoo?t=2m Ask students: What did Mr. Fish need to see the bottom of the ocean?  Have you ever been afraid of the dark? What did you do?

Explore Question we will be focusing on today: Do objects need light to be seen? We will be doing an activity that explores this question. Pinhole box activity- Students get several objects that will go into a shoebox one at a time. Students will observe objects through pinhole without light and see if they can see it, if not they will use a flashlight to try to see the object. If students still cannot see the object with the flashlight they will open the shoebox. Students will record their observations on this worksheet.

Explain Bring students to carpet for discussion. Ask students if they answered the focus question for the day. What observations did they make? Discuss with a partner for 2 minutes. Listen for things like: learned that we cannot see things without light Example of student response to pinhole activity: Student Response Example

Elaborate – Mystery item Students will come back to carpet and sit in a circle surrounding 2 boxes with a mystery items. The first box contains a regular item that doesn’t produce its own light. The students should not be able to see this item. Under the next box is a glowstick that produces its own light. Students should be able to identify this. Students should then be able to identify the original item because the light from the glow stick allows them to see it once their eyes have been adjusted to the light.

Elaborate – Explore the School activity Students bring science journals with worksheet stapled in. We will explore two different rooms in the school and observe where the sources of light in the rooms come from. Ex: Computer lab, gym, classroom. Students will locate the sources of light in the room and circle that area on the given worksheet. Students come back to carpet and we discuss which room had more sources of light.

Evaluate Clear up misconceptions about light and how we see during discussions. Look at students worksheets in journals. In order to check for understanding, I send my students back to their Science Journal and ask them to take a few minutes to record the answer to our question today: Do objects need light to be seen? I will look for answers like;  Light helps us see.  We need light to see things.

sources Our lesson was based on this lesson found here: http://betterlesson.com/lesson/627219/are-you-afraid-of-the-dark