Class:

Stage 3 Lesson 1
Date: Term 4, 2014 Time: 11:20-12:20
Prior Learning and Rationale: This lesson focuses on introducing the students to relevant concepts and terminologies that are a requisite in their continual
learning of this unit of work. This introductory lesson focuses on developing students understanding of the different properties of light, how it is used, and what
causes reflection. This will guide the students learning of how colour is created by light, and allow them to explore variations of creating colours using light in their
continual learning of this unit. The students will engage in a variety of scientific behaviours as they make predictions, experimentations and gather evidence to
support their hypothesis (NSW BOS, 2012). The unit of work integrates mathematical components by encouraging the students to use diagrams to represent
findings, and promotes involvement in both collaborative and independent tasks.
KLA (s): Science and Technology, Literacy.
Objectives:
- For the students to explore scientific concepts and build vocabulary
by engaging in interactive videos and hands on experiences that
introduce these concepts.

- For the students to experiment and manipulate a range of
resources by participating in diverse activities that explore how
colour is formed from a white light.

Key Scientific Knowledge:

- Light and colour occurs as light travels in a wave. When light travels, it moves between a
high and low distance, forming what is called a wavelength (Teach-nology, 2014).
- Natural white sunlight is made up of various colours. These colours are different types of
light that are formed by their individual wavelengths (Teach-nology, 2014).
- White lights are made up of all colours of the spectrum such as red, orange, yellow,
green, blue, indigo and violet (Theophilus, 2012).
- A light wave can either be reflected, transmitted or absorbed depending on what type of
object the wavelength reaches (Teach-nology, 2014).
- Different people vary in the way they observe colour. No two people are able to visually
identify colours in the same way (Teach-nology, 2014).
Outcomes & Indicators:
Resources:
ST3-7PW Uses scientific knowledge about the transfer of light to solve problems that directly affect - IWB
peoples lives (NSW BOS, 2012, p.66).
- 1 x plastic container per pair
- Gather evidence to support their predictions about how light travels and is reflected
- 1 x mirror per pair
ST3-5WT Plans and implements a design process, selecting a range of tools, equipment, materials
- 1 x A4 blank paper per pair
and techniques to produce solutions that address the design criteria and identified constraints
- Aluminium foil
(NSW BOS, 2012, p.64).
- Glue
- Selecting and using creative thinking techniques, including mind-mapping, brainstorming,
- 1 x battery operated tea light per pair
sketching and modelling
- Link to video:
EN3-6B Uses knowledge of sentence structure, grammar, punctuation and vocabulary to respond to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtgBHsSzCPE
and compose clear and cohesive texts in different media and technologies (NSW BOS, 2012, p.108).
- Understand the use of vocabulary to express greater precision of meaning, and know that
words can have different meanings in different contexts.
MA3-18SP Uses appropriate methods to collect data and constructs, interprets and evaluates data
(NSW BOS, 2012, p.255).
- Create a two-way table to organise data involving two categorical variables.

Lesson Development:
Intro: (15 minutes)
To introduce this topic, the students will engage in a collaborative class discussion about light and how it is used in their every lives. Using an IWB to brainstorm
concepts and ideas, the teacher will encourage the students to consider how colour is created through light. After sharing ideas as a class, the students will watch
a short video located on the digital resource to consolidate their introductory learning in this topic. During the video, the students will take notes in their
workbooks of important information and create a glossary of terminologies. (Link to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtgBHsSzCPE)
Body: (30 minutes)
To commence the lesson, the students will be transitioned into two large groups. Both groups will begin to explore concepts of light, reflection and colours
through two different activities. After 10 minutes, the groups will alternate activities.
Group 1:
Within this group, the students will work in pairs. The students will fill a plastic container half full of water and place it outside in the sun. The students will place a
mirror half way into the container of water so that it is facing the sun. Using a blank sheet of paper, the students will hold the paper opposite to the mirror. The
students will manoeuvre the paper around in order to observe the reflective rainbow of colour that will appear onto the piece of paper.
Group 2:
Within this group, the students will work in pairs. The students will cut a large circle out of a blank piece of A4 paper. Using aluminium foil, the students will cover
the circle with the matte side against the paper and stick them together. The students will cut a straight line half way through the circle. Using one of the cut
edges, students will fold over the foil to form a cone shape. Place the tea light insight the cone to observe the reflection of colours that appear against the foil.
After 20 minutes of experimenting with reflections and colours, the class will collaborate to discuss and share their findings. The students will return to their desks
where they will work in groups of 4-5 to create a labelled diagram of the two different activities. They will be encouraged to integrate their glossary of terms to
assist in labelling their diagram.
Conclusion: (10 minutes)
To conclude the lesson, the students will have the opportunity to present their diagrams and findings from the different activities. In their groups, the students
will stand up the front to display their posters and share valuable information that has been gained. This will allow the students to share, extend and support their
peers in their understanding of this unit.
Support: Pose questions in order to stimulate a verbal response as an
Extend: Integrate the use of technology such as iPads or computers for students to
opportunity to support understanding. Grouping students with ranging
individually research or explore the next phase of colour and light e.g. optics,
abilities to encourage peer collaboration and support can support
infrared. Incorporate their findings into lesson planning and encourage students to
comprehension or revision tasks.
present their developing knowledge to their class.

Class: Stage 3 Lesson 2

Date: Term 4, 2014 Time: 11:20-12:20
Rationale: This lesson focuses on shifting the students learning from content based, to hands on experimentations of colour and light. The lesson requires
students to utilize their comprehension skills as they incorporate prior learning of scientific concepts into their interactive experiences. By engaging in rotational
experiences, the students have the opportunity to collaborate with others in order to investigate, solve problems and support their own findings in different
representational formats (NSW BOS, 2012). The rotational experiences will provide students with a greater understanding of the different properties of light such
as the absorption, reflection and refraction (NSW BOS, 2012), and discover how light can cast shadows causing translucency, opaqueness or transparency (NSW,
BOS, 2012, p.66).
KLA (s): Science and Technology, Literacy.
Objectives:
- For the students to explore the different properties and
representations of light by engaging in both collaborative and
independent scientific tasks.

- For the students to experiment with diverse materials and
objects by participating in various opportunities for
investigation, exploration and problem solving (NSW BOS,
2012).

Key Scientific Knowledge:

- The seven colours of the rainbow are caused by the breakage of water droplets reflected by the
sunlight (Canon, 2014).
- When the light moves from one medium to another, its direction changes and bends, causing
refraction (Canon, 2014).
- Shadows are dark images that are casted as a result of other materials that block light
(Davidson, 2013). Shadows can absorb, reflect or scatter light, resulting in the transparency,
opaqueness or translucency of light (NSW BOS, 2012, p.66).
- Translucent: When only some light is passed through a material, resulting in scattering and
changing of directions. This causes blurriness and unclear light (Net Industries, 2014).
- Transparent: When almost all of the light passes directly through an object or material, such as
air, water or clear glass (Net Industries, 2014).
- Opaque: When no light is passed through an object. This is a result of light being reflected
elsewhere or absorbed by heat, i.e. by wood or stone (Net Industries, 2014).
- When light travels through a prism, colours are bent, representing different angles (Skwirk,
2014). Red refracts the least, thus having the longest wavelength, and blue refracts the most,
having the shortest wavelength (Skwirk, 2014).
Outcomes & Indicators:
Resources:
ST3- 7PW Uses scientific knowledge about the transfer of light to solve problems that directly affect peoples lives (NSW
- IWB
BOS, 2012, p.66).
- Hat with different definitions.
- Classify materials as transparent, opaque or translucent, based on whether light passes through them, is absorbed, - Prism
reflected or scattered.
- White light/flashlight
- Observe and describe how the absorption of light by materials and objects forms shadows, eg building shading.
- Classroom objects
- Gather evidence to support their predictions about how light travels and is reflected.
- Paper and pen to create table
ST3-4WS Investigates by posing questions, including testable questions, making predictions and gathering data to draw
- Torch
evidence-based conclusions and develop explanations (NSW BOS, 2012, p.62).
- Coloured cellophane
- Applying experience from similar situations in the past to predict what might happen in a new situation.
- Hodson light box
- Working individually and collaboratively in conducting a range of appropriate investigation methods, including fair
- Curved mirror
tests, to answer questions or solve problems.
- Flat mirror
ST3-5WT Plans and implements a design process, selecting a range of tools, equipment, materials and techniques to
- Plastic cylinder
produce solutions that address the design criteria and identified constraints. (NSW BOS, 2012, p. 64).
- Sugar syrup

- Selecting and using creative thinking techniques, including mind mapping, brainstorming, sketching and modelling. - Polarizing materials
EN3-6B Uses knowledge of sentence structure, grammar, punctuation and vocabulary to respond to and compose clear

and cohesive texts in different media and technologies (NSW BOS, 2012, p. 108).
- Understand the use of vocabulary to express greater precision of meaning, and know that words can have different
meanings in different contexts.
MA3-18SP Uses appropriate methods to collect data and constructs, interprets and evaluates data (NSW BOS, 2012,
p.255).
- Create a two-way table to organise data involving two categorical variables.
Lesson Development:
Intro: (10 minutes)
To introduce this lesson, the students will revise and consolidate the terminologies learnt in the previous introductory lesson to the unit. At the front of the class,
the teacher will be holding one hat consisting of various terms with their matching definitions. One student will be selected to initiate the activity by selecting a
piece of paper from the word hat, reading aloud only the definition. The remaining students in the class will have the opportunity to use their prior knowledge to
determine the appropriate word to accompany the definition. The students will work as a class to integrate their comprehension skills in order to complete all the
matching definitions to the relevant words. This will assure the teacher that the students understand the important concepts required to continue and extend
learning in this unit of work.
Body: (40 minutes)
In groups, the students will be engage in 5 rotational activities to extend their exploration and understanding of light and colour in different aspects of their daily
lives. At each station, the group will be provided with a sheet of instructions. On the IWB will be a timer display to alert the students to rotate to the next activity.
Station 1: Refraction Using a prism and a white light in a dark room, the students will shine the white light onto the prism, where seven different colours (violet,
indigo, blue, green yellow orange red will appear in the same order. The students will discuss and note their results to establish why some prisms refracted more
light than others.
Station 2: Shadows The students will select different objects around the room to determine whether all objects cast shadows. In a dark room, the students will
place the object near the wall and shine a torch to determine whether a shadow forms. Creating a table, the students will complete the name of the object and its
transparency, translucency, or opaqueness.
Station 3: Categorizing transparency Using various coloured sheets and a torch, the students will determine the reflection of different colours and how these
colours influence whether it is transparent, translucent or opaque. As the students experiment with each colour, they will take notes with the paper provided.
Station 4: Reflection Using a Hodson light box, the students will experiment with curved and flat mirrors to observe the reflective light that appears. The
students will observe whether a prism will refract the light. Students will modify positioning of the mirrors and prisms to explore and document different results.
Station 5: Rotating light The students will fill a plastic cylinder with sugar syrup. They will place one piece of polarizing material on top and one underneath the
cylinder. Using a flashlight, the students will shine the light onto the syrup to observe colour changes that appear as a result of the reflection of the light.
Conclusion: (10 minutes)
To conclude this lesson, the students in their final rotational groups will collaborate to discuss how they are going to present the findings of their final activity to
the class. The students will be encouraged to delegate roles to each group member in order to present their results using verbal language, diagrams and visual
representations.
Support: Provide scaffolding and opportunities for questioning by using a
Extend: Building on previously learnt knowledge, encourage the students to guide
dark room and a white light to support the concepts of reflection,
their own learning by discovering new ways of exploring light and the formation of
refraction, rotating light and shadows.
colours. Promote the sharing of ideas with the other class members.