Red Text and the Conceptual Physics Course Pack

In creating our Lesson Plans and Learning Outcomes for this course we have labeled some items with red text. These resources are part of a separate purchasable product, our Conceptual Physics Course Pack. The download contains source documents, answer keys, and teacher guides for 110 Think Sheets and 55 student labs.

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Light Waves and Color

The lesson plans below include links to the specific resources on our website.

Teacher Guides for labs can be found here.


   
 
 
 

Day 1 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan
  1. Introduce unit
  2. Briefly discuss the dual nature of light
  3. Science Reasoning Center: Models of Light
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Light Waves and Colors: Lesson 1, Part a-c
  2. If not done, complete Models of Light


 

Day 2 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan
  1. Physics Interactives: The Photoelectric Effect with Student Activity Sheet
    Do and process, emphasizing the evidence for light behaving as a particle (the rest of the unit focuses on light as a wave)
  2. Discuss wave behaviors of light: interference, polarization; demonstrations
  3. Physics Interactives: Polarization by Reflection as a demonstration
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Light Waves and Colors: Lesson 1, Part d
  2. Minds On Physics: Mission LC2 on Polarization


 

Day 3 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan
  1. Review polarization: then Pair Practice: Polarization Think Sheet (1)
    Complete; check answers. Then ...
  2. Science Reasoning Center: Electromagnetic Spectrum
    Do and process
  3. Discuss Electromagnetic spectrum; patterns for wavelength, frequency, and energy; discuss visible light spectrum
  4. Guided/Individual Practice: Electromagnetic and Visible Light Spectra Think Sheet (3)
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Light Waves and Colors: Lesson 2, Parts a, b, and c
  2. Minds On Physics: Mission LC1 on Electromagnetic and Visible Light Spectrum


 

Day 4 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan
  1. Lab 1 - Diluted by Distance
    Collect data, discuss results; practice some inverse square law thinking
  2. Guided/Individual Practice: Light Intensity Think Sheet (2)
  3. Science Reasoning Center: Light Intensity
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Concept Builder: Light Intensity


 

Day 5 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan
  1. Quick Quiz on Learning Outcomes #1 - #4
  2. Introduce Color
    Discuss the light wavelengths and color, ROYGBIV; the eye (retina, cones, etc.); incident-absorbed-reflected model; use Incident-Absorbed-Reflected Model Think Sheet (4) (selected Qs)
  3. Physics Interactives: RGB Color Addition with Student Activity Sheet
    Do and process
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Light Waves and Colors: Lesson 2, Part d
  2. Concept Checker: Color Addition Concept Checker


 

Day 6 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan
  1. Lab 2 - Taking Away From RGB
    Do and process; save Conclusion until after lesson
  2. Discuss primary colors of light; discuss rules of color subtraction; color wheel and color equations; complementary colors; color subtraction; use of incident-absorbed-reflected model to explain the colors we see
  3. Pair Practice: start Color Addition and Subtraction Think Sheet (5); selected Qs
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Light Waves and Colors: Lesson 2, Part e
  2. Minds On Physics: Mission LC4 on Complementary Colors of Light


 

Day 7 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan
  1. Pair Practice: complete Color Addition and Subtraction Think Sheet (5); selected Qs
  2. Concept Builder: Color Addition and Subtraction
  3. Physics Interactives: Painting with CMY with Student Activity Sheet
    Do and process; discuss what do pigments do? Do some examples with an incident-absorbed-reflected diagram
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Review as needed: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Light Waves and Colors: Lesson 2, Part e
  2. Concept Checker: Painting with CMY


 

Day 8 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan
  1. Guided/Pair/Individual Practice: Color and Pigments Think Sheet (6)
    Do and check answers; then begin ...
  2. Concept Builder: Color Pigments
  3. Physics Interactives: Stage Lighting with Student Activity Sheet
    Do and process
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Review as needed: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Light Waves and Colors: Lesson 2, Part e
  2. Concept Checker: Stage Lighting


 

Day 9 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan
  1. Lab 3 - M and Ms Activity
    Complete; process ...
  2. Discuss what happens when the incident light isn't white? Do some examples with an incident-absorbed-reflected diagram; selected Qs from When the Incident Light's not White Think Sheet
  3. Pair Practice: complete Viewed in Another Light Think Sheet (7)
    Complete; then ...
  4. Complete Lab 3 write-up
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Review as needed: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Light Waves and Colors: Lesson 2, Part e
  2. Minds On Physics: Mission LC5 on Color Subtraction


 

Day 10 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan
  1. Lab 4 - Filtering Away
  2. Discuss filters; transition to the incident-absorbed-transmitted model; do some examples from Incident-Absorbed-Transmitted Model Think Sheet (8)
  3. Pair Practice: complete Incident-Absorbed-Transmitted Model Think Sheet (8)
    Complete and check answers; if time allows, start ...
  4. Minds On Physics: Mission LC8 on Color Filters
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Review as needed: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Light Waves and Colors: Lesson 2, Part e
  2. Minds On Physics: Mission LC8 on Color Filters


 

Day 11 of Light Waves and Color

Lesson Plan
  1. Demonstration of colored shadows using RGB Lights; emphasize color subtraction and color addition principles
  2. Physics Interactives: Colored Shadows
    Have students construct and label a diagram of their observations; or do the hands-on Shadows Activity (in BONUS folder)
  3. Concept Builder: Color Filters
  4. Discuss Unit Test

Homework/Announcements
  1. Prepare for Tomorrow's Test
  2. Complete all unfinished work