Did you know that our eyes see different wavelengths of light as different colours? This box will allow you to split white light into the colours of the rainbow; reflect and direct light using mirrors; and investigate ultraviolet light and shadows.
Who could use this?
This box could be used to help teach the light topics in Science for Year 3 and Year 6.
Curriculum links Year 3 Science: Light
- 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 an opaque object
- find patterns in the way that the size of shadows change
Curriculum links Year 6 Science: Light
- 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.
What’s in the box?
Activities to support the use of this box in school and at home
Discover how to create shadows using a toilet roll tube, a torch, some cling film and paper, stickers or foil with this NUSTEM shadow tubes activity.
Make a sundial to tell the time using the sun and the way that shadows change across a day with our NUSTEM sun dial activity.
Try this NUSTEM spinner activity. Use a circle of card and a pencil to investigate how the light we see is made up of the different colours of the spectrum.
Careers links
The Primary Science Teaching Trust has some additional careers links you may like to look at. These are called “A scientist just like me” and introduce children to a diverse range of scientists.
The downloadable power points relevant to this box are
