Students learn about the advantages and disadvantages of the greenhouse effect. They construct their own miniature greenhouses and explore how their designs take advantage of heat transfer processes to create controlled environments. They record and graph measurements, comparing the greenhouse indoor and outdoor temperatures over time. Students are also introduced to global issues such as greenhouse gas emissions and their relationship to global warming.

How did scientists figure out the structure of atoms without looking at them? Try out different models by shooting light at the atom. Check how the prediction of the model matches the experimental results.

Do you ever wonder how a greenhouse gas affects the climate, or why the ozone layer is important? Use the sim to explore how light interacts with molecules in our atmosphere.

Students are introduced to the parameters of an engineering challenge in which their principal has asked them to devise an invisible security system to cost-effectively protect a treasured mummified troll, while still allowing for visitor viewing during the day. Students generate ideas for solving the grand challenge, first independently, then in small groups, and finally, compiled as a class.

This is the first lesson of this unit to introduce light. Lessons 1-5 focus on sound, while 6-9 focus on light. In this lesson, students learn the five words that describe how light interacts with objects: "transparent," "translucent," "opaque," "reflection" and "refraction."

Produce light by bombarding atoms with electrons. See how the characteristic spectra of different elements are produced, and configure your own element's energy states to produce light of different colors.

An online simulation for seeing how colour and the mixing of colour looks like on a stage and on the actors.

Explore an active area of research in optical physics: producing designer pulse shapes to achieve specific purposes, such as breaking apart a molecule. Carefully create the perfect shaped pulse to break apart a molecule by individually manipulating the colors of light that make up a pulse.

PhET Sims are now available in HTML5 as well!

Simulations can be sorted by subject area or grade. This is very helpful.

PhET is a collection of interactive computer simulations for teaching and learning physics, chemistry, math, and other sciences.

Simulations can be used directly on the site or downloaded and used that way.

The simulations are animated, interactive, and game-like environments where students learn through exploration. They emphasize the connections between real-life and the underlying science. These great activities help students visualize abstract concepts!

See how light knocks electrons off a metal target, and recreate the experiment that spawned the field of quantum mechanics.

A wealth of resources for teaching and learning about physics!

Tutorials, interactives, videos, multimedia info, concept builders, concept checkers, question bank HELP and more!

In this lesson, students learn that light travels in a straight line from a light source and that ray diagrams help us understand how an image will be created by a lens. In the accompanying activity, students explore the concepts behind the workings of a pinhole camera.

Students are introduced to the (hypothetical) task of developing an invisible (non-intrusive) security system to protect the school's treasured mummified troll! Solving the challenge depends on an understanding of the properties of light. After being introduced to the challenge question, students generate ideas and consider the knowledge required find solutions. They watch a portion of the "Mythbuster's Crimes and Myth-Demeanors" episode ($20), which helps direct their research and learning toward solving the challenge. They begin to study laser applications in security systems, coming to realize the role of lasers in today's society.

Students are introduced to the physical concept of the colors of rainbows as light energy in the form of waves with distinct wavelengths, but in a different manner than traditional kaleidoscopes. Looking at different quantum dot solutions, they make observations and measurements, and graph their data. They come to understand how nanoparticles interact with absorbing photons to produce colors. They learn the dependence of particle size and color wavelength and learn about real-world applications for using these colorful liquids.

When do photons, electrons, and atoms behave like particles and when do they behave like waves? Watch waves spread out and interfere as they pass through a double slit, then get detected on a screen as tiny dots. Use quantum detectors to explore how measurements change the waves and the patterns they produce on the screen.

Mr. Holder discusses his work as a lighting designer in theatre, opera, and dance.

Donald Holder is an American lighting designer in theatre, opera, and dance based in New York. He has been nominated for eleven Tony Awards, winning the 1998 Tony Award for Best Lighting Design as well as the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lighting Design for The Lion King.

Open Educational Resources (OER) for K-12 Science including - lessons, videos, simulations, professional learning and on-demand teacher support.

*more is being developed so keep checking for new materials*
*CHECK GRADES OTHER THAN WHAT YOU TEACH TO FIND ADDITIONAL SK LESSON TOPICS*

"We’ve made our curriculum free for all educators because high quality instructional materials and professional learning can bridge the opportunity gap for all students. The units underwent a rigorous 18-month development process with teacher and student voices across the country informing the selection of the phenomena and each unit’s storyline. Using our curriculum, teachers have seen their students strengthen their ability to solve problems, become more curious about the world around them, and be excited to discover the wonders of science in their classrooms."

Check out these 19 categories of great science podcasts that you can listen to with kids. Many of the categories have a number of podcasts within. Topics include oceans, dinosaurs, light, sound, space, senses, animals , plants and much, much more!

Did you know that there’s a listening app with ONLY content for kids?! It’s called Kids Listen, and it features a playlist curated especially for educational shows! Check it out at https://app.kidslisten.org, or as an Apple or Google Play app. What a great way to let your kids discover what they love.