Web-page is organized by topics, then listed alphabetically under each topic. Lesson plans are linked by the name of the activity.

Laser/Light

Laser Safety - BE CAREFUL with LASERS as they can easily blind you!

Laser Shapes

MS-PS4-2: Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials

HS-PS4-3: Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning behing the idea that electromagnetic radiation can be described either by a wave or a particle model.

Maglite Bulb Diffraction

Paper Plate Model of an Atom

MS-PS3-5: Construct, use, and present arguments to support the claim that when the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy is transferred to or from the object

HS-PS3-5: Develop and use a model of two objects interacting through electric or magnetic fields to illustrate the forces between objects and the changes in energy of the objects due to the interaction.

HS-PS4-3: Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning behind the idea that electromagnetic radiation can be described either by a wave model or particle model, and that for some situations one model is more useful than the other.

 

Interference/Interferometer

Diffraction Gratings & Spectra

HS-PS4-1: Use mathematical representation to support a claim regarding relationships among the frequency, wavelength, and speed of waves traveling in various media

Laser Speckle

MS-PS4-2: Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials

HS-PS4-3: Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning behind the idea that electromagnetic radiation can be described either by a wave model or particle model, and that for some situations one model is more useful than the other.

Interferometer build (inexpensive)

HS-PS4-3: Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning behind the idea that electromagnetic radiation can be described either by a wave model or particle model, and that for some situations one model is more useful than the other.

HS-PS4-5: Communicate technical information about how some technological devices use the principles of wave behavior and wave interactions with matter to transmit and capture information and energy.

Laser Hair Diffraction

HS-PS4-1: Use mathematical representation to support a claim regarding relationships among the frequency, wavelength, and speed of waves traveling in various media

Permanent Oil Slick

MS-PS4-1: Use mathematical representations to describe a simple model for waves that includes how the amplitude of a wave is related to the energy in a wave.

MS-PS4-2: Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.

HS-PS4-3: Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning behind the idea that electromagnetic radiation can be described either by a wave model or a particle model.

Soap Film / Thin Film Interference

4-PS4-2: Develop a model to describe that light reflecting from objects and entering the eye allows objects to be seen.

MS-PS4-2: Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.

HS-PS4-3: Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning behind the idea that electromagnetic radiation can be described either by a wave model or a particle models.

PVC Model of Sound Interferometer, Old Quick reference diagram

Destructive Speaker Interference

Audio Interferometer

 

Gravitational Waves & other Force Models

Electrostatic Forces

MS-PS2-5: Conduct an investigation and evaluate the experimental design to provide evidence that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even though the objects are not in contact.

HS-PS2-4: Use mathematical representation of Newton's Law of Gravitation and Coulomb's Law to describe and predict the gravitational and electrostatic force between objects.

Gravitational Wave Matching Activity

MS-PS2-4: Construct and present arguments using evidence to support the claim that gravitational interactions are attractive and depend on the masses on interacting objects.

MS-PS4-1: Use mathematical representation to describe a simple model for waves that includes how the amplitude of a wave is related to the energy in a wave.

HS-PS4-1: Use mathematical representation to support a claim regarding relationships among the frequency, wavelength, and speed of waves traveling in various media.

HS-PS4-5: Communicate technical information about how some technological devices use the principles of wave behavior and wave interactions with matter to transmit and capture information and energy.

Spandex Gravity Model

MS-ESS1-2: Develop and use a model to describe the role of gravity in the motions within the galaxies and the solar system

HS-PS4-5: Communicate technical information about how some technological devices use the principles of wave behavior and wave interactions with matter to transmit and capture information and energy.

Observatory/Other Files

Black Hole Hunter

4-PS4-3: Generate and compare multiple solutions that use patterns to transfer information.

MS-PS4-3: Integrate qualitative scientific and technical information to support the claim that digitized signals are a more reliable way to encode and transmit information than analog signals.

HS-PS4-5: Communicate technical information about how some technological devices use the principles of wave behaviors and wave interactions with matter to transmit and capture information and energy.

Density of Stellar Materials

HS-ESS1-3: Communicate scientific ideas about the way stars, over their life cycle, produce elements.

Multimessenger Astronomy