Title: Refraction

Stage

Class

5/6T

Date Indicators: Identifies that light rays bend or change direction through water (refraction) Rationale: Last lesson students learned about how light reflects off different objects. This lesson extends on this learning and aims to teach students about the idea of refraction while also allowing students to develop skills such as; inferring, observing, presenting data and conducting simple tests.

Outcomes: Energy and Change: 3.5 - Design and describe ways of enabling or impending the transfer of energy

Introduction: Students start filling up their brain worksheet with things they remember from last lesson. Give a brief overview of last lesson.

Reflection: Brains: Students have a brain template that they then must fill up with knowledge from the lesson.

Content: Refraction

Guided Discovery: In a darkened room, use a torch that is covered in masking tape that is painted black, leaving a small hole in the centre to let a thin beam of light shine through. Discuss the shape of the beam as it bounces off different surfaces around the room; off walls, through water, through a glass etc.) Does it travel in a straight line, or does it bend? Shine the light at different angles into the container of water. Discuss what happens. Ask why they think the light bends when it touches the water? Explain the term refraction and how

Groupings: Whole group

Assessment: Questioning Observations Worksheet

Resources: Pencils Glasses Coins Jug of water Cups Torches Masking tape Scissors Skewer Paper towel Containers of

light slows down when it passes through water so we see it as it is bending. Students could experiment with this idea themselves. Exploration: In groups, students will place a pencil in a glass about full of water and record their observations after looking at it from different angles. Students will then hold the pencil straight in the glass. Students are to look at it from a birds eye view and discuss what it looks like (Below the water level it looks slightly larger). What does it look like from the side? (magnified almost double in size below the water). Students will now leave the pencil at an angle and observe from different angles; What does it look like from above? (little change), what does it look like at an angle? (magnified below the water, broken in two at the water level - the light rays are being bent when they move through the water refraction). Discuss observations with the class. Students will now lift the glass is it is at arms length, just above their heads, so they have to look up. What do they see? Students record results on sheet. (The surface looks like a mirror and pencil looks bent). Students will now put a coin into the bottom of the glass and put it on the table in front of them. One person in the group will move the cup away until the rim of the cup hides the coin. One person stays still while another member slowly pours water into the cup (about 3/4 full).

water Clack felt pen or paint

Small groups of 3 or 4

What can the person see? (The coin should magically reappear. This happens because the water bends the light (refracts from the coin over the rim of the cup into your eyes). Each group member is to try the trick - the water is to be replaced carefully in the jug each time. Students are to discuss their findings with the class and the reasons for this result, students then record their observations. When there was no water in the cup the light travelled in a straight line from the cup to your eyes. When water was added to the cup, the light rays were bent (refracted) by the water. The angle became great enough to allow light reflected from the coin to travel to your eyes. Light travels slower through water than air and changes direction, making objects look bent (refraction). Early finishers: Light and shadow chatterbox