Lights Camera Action
Today in science we have been looking at Light and how to teach it in an effective and engaging way.
In the National Curriculum (2014) Light is mentioned in:
Year 3: Light
Pupils should be taught to:
recognise that they need light in order to see things and that dark is the absence of light
notice that light is reflected from surfaces
recognise that light from the sun can be dangerous and that there are ways to protect their eyes
recognise that shadows are formed when the light from a light source is blocked by a solid object
find patterns in the way that the size of shadows change.
Year 6: Light
Pupils should be taught to:
recognise that light appears to travel in straight lines
use the idea that light travels in straight lines to explain that objects are seen because they give out or reflect light into the eye
explain that we see things because light travels from light sources to our eyes or from light sources to objects and then to our eyes
use the idea that light travels in straight lines to explain why shadows have the same shape as the objects that cast them.
We also looked at our subject knowledge:
What is light?
It behaves as if it were a wave
Visible light is one part of the electromagnetic spectrum
Light travels in straight lines
Light is a form of energy
Sources of Light
Light travels from a primary source
Light is reflected from secondary sources
List as many light sources as you can and try to classify them using the definition above:
Sun
Light bulbs
Candle
Fire
Laptops, phone ect.
Secondary
Moon
Water
Mirror
Reflection of light
Light can be reflected
Some materials transmit light (allow it to pass through) and some materials let more light through than others
Transparent (Lets all the light through)
Translucent (Lets some of the light through)
Opaque (Lets no light through)
Refraction of light
Light waves are refracted (appear to bend) when a wave travels from one medium to another (e.g. water to air)
Shadows
Shadows are formed when a light source is blocked
Shadows form the shape of the object blocking the light
This is evidence of light travelling in straight lines and doesn’t travel around corners
The darkness of a shadow depends on whether the material is transparent, translucent or opaque
Children often mix up “shadows” and “reflection”. They need lots of practical experiences of shadows.
Ideas to help children’s understanding of shadows
EYFS – jumping on their shadows
KS1 – experiment with moving light sources closer or further from the object casting the shadow
KS2 – explore the factors which alter the size of shadows
Creative Shadows
Cross Curricular links – Literacy
Create shadow puppets to re-tell a nursery rhyme
Explore the different materials to make the puppets – link to properties of the materials: transparent, translucent, opaque
Perform this to the rest of the class!
We then made our own puppet shows to a nursery rhyme.
Misconceptions about light…
Some are unaware that light travels
Some do not always appreciate that light sources are needed to see non-luminescent objects
Some think the Moon is a source of light
They often confuse reflection and shadow formation – features on the shadow
Shadows are often draw detached from the body
Fiction Texts
Child-friendly context enhances pupils’ confidence
Provides excellent contextual learning for follow-up enquiry
The resultant discussion allows children’s current understanding of concepts to be accessed
Children are often motivated to help solve the problem for the characters involved
Scientific language can be introduced and supported by more familiar words and text within a child-friendly context
Non-Fiction
A non-fiction book can be used to bring ‘science’ into the classroom and provide the focus for the lesson. Children love ‘finding out’ so therefore the information presented as pictures or text can serve as a starting point for discussion and accessing children’s current ideas and understanding.
Non-fiction books specifically can:
Provide a visual stimulus for sharing of ideas
Develop children’s observation skills
Introduce new vocabulary (both general and scientific)
Allow children to check and compare their drawings and writing
Provide opportunity for developing and reinforcing children’s sequencing skills
Develop children’s research skills and independent study
Provide ideas for enquiry
This lesson has allowed me to see how i can be creative this the topic of light and link it with other subjects to keep the children engaged.
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