Activity 2: Finding Rainbows

Activity type: Moving bodies

Skills: Science Understanding

Outcome: Outcome 2: Children Are Connected With And Contribute To Their World - Children develop a sense of connectedness to groups and communities and an understanding of their reciprocal rights and responsibilities as active and informed citizens.

Resources:

reflective items such as old CDs or DVDs, prisms or mirrors
jars of water (so that a mirror can fit inside at an angle)
sunlight or a white LED flashlight
wall to reflect light onto, or a white piece of paper.

Activity Description

The children investigate rainbows by creating refraction using a light source. The torch is shone onto the CD and the light is reflected onto a wall or piece of paper to make a visible rainbow. Prisms can also refract light to create rainbows, as can the mirror inside the jar of water.

Activity Set Up

Set up the area with a table next to a large white piece of paper. If it’s a bright sunny day, outside is best! If it’s not so sunny inside, in a dark corner with the flashlight works best. Place the items on the table, CDs and DVDs shiny side up, prisms standing on their edge (already casting a rainbow if possible!), and mirrors either inside a jar of water on an angle or lying shiny side up on the table.

Mirrors and other reflective items should not be left in direct sunlight unsupervised. It is possible for the reflected light to start a fire if it is left in one position long enough.

Raining Rainbows: Finding Rainbows

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Activity guides and printables

Activity Details

Curriculum Mapping

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