Stations of Light

• slinky (optional demonstration; see Introduction/Motivation section)
• Light Energy Worksheet (PDF), 1 per student

The materials at each station are re-usable for an unlimited number of teams. The total cost for four stations is ~$20.

Station 1: Bending Light

• 1 clear plastic bowl (deep enough to show refraction)
• 1 plastic ruler or pencil or popsicle stick (or any straight object that can get wet)
• tap water (to fill the bowl)

Station 2: Lens and Light

• magnifying glass (1 or more)
• paper with words or pictures on it

Station 3: Prism Rainbows

• 1-5 prisms (can be assorted sizes) (available in science supply catalogs or websites, or hobby stores)
• 1 light source (such as: overhead projector, slide projector, sunlight through opening in window shades, flashlight)
• Visible Light Spectrum (PDF) (visual aid)
• Dispersion Angle through a Prism (PDF) (visual aid)

Station 4: Polarized Light

• two pairs of polarized sunglasses
• piece of plastic polarized film (purchase at a hardware store)