Unit 3: Light and Optics

Science 8 - Unit 3: Light and Optics

Guiding Question: How do I perceive light?
Area of Interaction: Environments

It is expected that you will be able to:
- demonstrate an understanding of the behavior of waves.
- explain the properties of visible light.
- compare to other types of electromagnetic radiation.
- explain how human vision works.

Jan 6th - What IS light? Where does light come from?

- Light in the Deep Ocean
- Read and discuss "Light Energy and its Sources" p. 288-293 in the textbook (start with the headings, bold terms, and photos!)
- Activity: "Light Energy and its Sources"
- Practice Questions #1-6 p. 293

Jan 8th - What property of light allows shadows to form?

- Go over Questions and Activity from last class
- Inquiry Investigation: "Watching Light Travel" (p. 294-295)

Jan 10th - Why do rainbows form? What is colour? Where is the colour in light?

- Activity: Viewing the visible spectrum (p. 299): Can you create and catch a rainbow?
- Stations Activity: Colour!
- Colour Discussion with Video Clip
- Readings (p. 299-305) and Handout
- EM Waves Video Clip, Demo and Discussion
- Practice Questions #1-10 p. 310

Jan 14th - How do plane mirrors affect light?

- Go over #1-10 p. 310
- Discuss - Angle of Incidence vs Angle of Reflection with diagrams
- Investigation Lab - How does the angle of incidence compare with the angle of reflection?

Jan 16th - How does the angle of incidence compare to the angle of reflection?

- Analyze lab results from last class
- How do different surfaces affect the ray of incidence?
- Read p. 316-318
- Demo!
- Discuss

Jan 21st - How do curved mirrors affect light?

Handout
- Laws of Reflection Review
- Real verses virtual images
- Demo! Curved Mirrors
- Investigative Lab: Curved Mirrors - concave and convex

Jan 23rd - How do curved mirrors affect light?

- Finish Lab Investigation
- Present investigation results to other lab teams!
- Handout: Curved Mirror Diagram Questions
- Complete #1-6 on Page 328
- Read ahead? Pages. 329-337

Jan 27th - What happens to light when it goes through a surface?

- Go over Mirror Diagrams and Questions
- Discuss with the help of Bill Nye
- Stations Lab! How is light affected when it passes through various materials?

Jan 29th - How do lenses affect light?

- Diagrams: Refraction and Lenses
- Investigative lab - Lenses!

Jan 31st - How do lenses affect light?

- Investigative lab - Lenses!
- Practice Questions: #1-15, 21, 24 p. 338-339 - check with answer KEY

Feb 4th - Can you build a pinhole camera?

Lab - Building a pinhole camera
Review Properties of Light and the Electromagneic Spectrum; the effect of mirrors and lenses on light (Refer to Ch 10 and 11)
- Pages 308/309 and 336/337 are extremely useful as a guide
- Key to questions on p. 338

Feb 6th - How do you perceive light?

Checkpoint "Quiz" - Properties of Light and the Electromagneic Spectrum; the effect of mirrors and lenses on light (Refer to Ch 10 and 11)
Reading and handout - The structures in your eye!
- Read p. 340-350 in Ch 12
- handout
- Demo - The Eye verses the Camera
Explore Various Eye Conditions...

Feb 12th - How do your eyes work?

The evolution of the Eye - video clip
Explore various eye conditions...
Prepare for eye dissection!
- Let's build an artificial eye!
- Virtual Eye Dissection

Feb 14th - What does the inside of an eye look like?

Eye Dissection - Handout!
- Virtual Eye Dissection

Feb 18th - Inquiry Project - Is Refractive Eyewear a Human Right?

Setting the stage... what is the issue?

Feb 20th - Inquiry Project - Is Refractive Eyewear a Human Right?

What are the systemic barriers to a fair and equitable system of distribution?

Feb 24th - Inquiry Project - Is Refractive Eyewear a Human Right?

What are the potential solutions?

Feb 26th - Inquiry Project - Is Refractive Eyewear a Human Right?

How are form and function, human rights, and systems related?

Feb 28th - Inquiry Project - Is Refractive Eyewear a Human Right?

Putting together the big picture...