This resource introduces students to the fascinating science behind light and colour. What exactly is light? What makes something one colour rather than another? What causes rainbows? Through clearly explained diagrams and fun illustrations, students learn about the ways light waves are reflected and refracted. They will gain an understanding of the electromagnetic spectrum as a whole.
Structure and features
- Downloadable PDF colour resource.
- Teacher instructions in Word documents.
- Highlighting of curriculum links (content descriptors).
Teacher notes
The teaching resource can be used for learning about the properties of light and other electromagnetic waves. It can also be used as a printed handout for each student to review and annotate, or for display on an interactive whiteboard for class discussion. Use the diagrams on the primary resource sheet to carry out some practical light experiments. Students could shine a torch through a triangular prism to see for themselves how light is refracted and separated into different colours. They could also shine a torch onto mirrors to see how light is reflected. For a fun, creative way to learn about shadows, students can perform shadow puppet displays. What different shapes or images can they make using their hands and different objects? How can they make their shadows bigger and smaller?
