Light & Optics Unit

Becky McCoy

Lesson Title: Rainbows and Diffraction

Timing: 50 Minutes

Target Audience:
High School Conceptual Physics Course (9th – 12th grade)

Objectives:
Students Will Be Able To:
• Describe what causes a rainbow.

The Teacher Will Be Able To:

• Asses student understanding of refraction of light.

Standards Assessed: New York State, The Physical Setting

4.3 viii. draw ray diagrams to represent the reflection and refraction of waves

Misconception(s) Addressed:
• Different colors of light are different types of waves.

Prior Knowledge: Ray diagrams and refraction of light from previous lesson.

Aim: Investigate the properties of light that cause rainbows.

Concept Map Vocabulary:

• Wavelength • Frequency • Wave • Diffraction
• Magnitude • Wave Number Grating
• Period Speed • Diffraction • Prism

Necessary Preparation:
COPIES
• Final Project assignment
• Light & Optics Unit Concept Map
MATERIALS
• Glass cup
• Water
• Sunny window
• Flashlight
• White paper
• Mirror
• Diffraction Grating (http://www.rainbowsymphonystore.com/difgratslida.html)
SET UP
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Becky McCoy
• Prepare materials for the activity.
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Becky McCoy

Lesson Plan

Aim: Investigate the properties of light that cause rainbows.

Physics Push-Up: Whole Class Discussion (5 minutes)

Ask students if they’ve ever seen rainbows or heard stories about rainbows. What wives tales or other
myths are connected to rainbows?

Activity: Making Rainbows (10 minutes)

Materials:
• Glass cup
• Water
• Sunny window
• Flashlight
• White paper
• Mirror
• Diffraction Grating (http://www.rainbowsymphonystore.com/difgratslida.html)

Procedure:
1. Fill a glass with water.
2. Place the glass on a table in front of a sunny window.
3. Place a sheet of paper on the floor. It could be any light color. White might be best, but try any
color you prefer.
4. Adjust the glass and the paper until you see a rainbow.
5. Place a mirror inside the glass.
6. Turn off all the lights in the room.
7. Shine the flashlight into water, moving it around until a rainbow can be viewed.
8. Shine the flashlight through a diffraction grating onto white paper, screen, or wall.

Questions to Ask:
• What did you observe with each demonstration?
• Were the rainbows single, double, or another multiple?
• What other ways can you make a rainbow?
• How might rainbows be connected to what we’ve learned about light?

Activity Summary: All About Waves (15 minutes)

Use the information at this website (http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/stargaze/Lsun4spe.htm) to explain
how the refraction of light (the ray model we studied in the last three classes) is related to rainbows and
color. This discussion can also be expanded to discuss the electromagnetic spectrum, which will be
addressed later in the unit.

Further demonstrations might include shining light through a prism. This way, you can draw the shape
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Becky McCoy
of the prism on the board and draw the refraction of the light separating the colors of the white light.

This is the time to begin discussing the anatomy of a wave. Pictures and diagrams will help students to
understand the different parts of a wave. Use the basic equations relating wavelengths, frequencies, and
the speed of the wave. Students do not need to have a deep understanding of the equations, because they
will be addressed next class.

Homework: (5 minutes)
Students should begin brainstorming for their Final Project and start writing their project proposal, due
Lesson 6.

Final Project: See attached assignment. Due the first class of the next unit.

Exit Strategy: Rainbows (5 minutes)

Students should write about one situation in which they saw or experienced a rainbow. They should also
write a couple sentences explaining what caused the rainbow.

Extension Activity:
Give some examples of waves using the equations.

Assessment:
• Student responses to activity questions.
• Exit Card responses.

Resources:
Rainbow Activity: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Rainbow
University of Dallas: http://phys.udallas.edu/C3P/Preconceptions.pdf

Notes & Adaptations:

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Becky McCoy

Final Project Assignment

Use any form of creativity you choose to convey what you have learned
about light during this unit.

You may choose from the following, or choose another mode of completing
your assignment:
• Drawing
• Creative Writing
• Painting
• Movie
• Research Paper

Your assignment must include aspects of the Ray and Wave portions of the
unit’s concept map (attached).

If you choose an artistic approach to the assignment, you must write at

least a page explaining your decisions and describe how the appropriate
content is portrayed in your final product.

Due Dates:
• A plan for your assignment is due next class.
• The final assignment is due the first class of the next unit.