Reflection of Light

We have been exploring with light using the flashlights and tap lights. We have been using these materials with mirrors and reflective surfaces to observe how the light changes when on a reflective surface. We have been observing how our reflection changes when light is on a reflective surface and how the light appears on it.

       

    We first placed the tap lights inside of the triangle along with the flashlights. The children sat next to the mirror and shone the flashlights inside the triangle, while others would sit directly inside of it. They seemed very excited about their reflection from the three different perspectives and would shine the flashlight onto the mirrors and on to their bodies.

          Another exploration that we did was we taped foil to the underside of the table so the children would crawl underneath the table with the flashlights and look up at their reflection. Some of the children crawled under the table without the lights and would bang on the foil. Others lay under the table on their backs and held the flashlight against the foil, then shone it onto the floor and back 
to the foil again. They were comparing how the light looked different on the two surfaces.

  

          Next, we stood the table up on its side with the foil still taped to the underside of it providing a new perspective. The flashlights were placed next to it and the children explored holding the flashlight onto the foil, then moving it so the light shone on their hand that was also on the foil. Again, they were comparing the appearance of the light on the two different surfaces.


      We would like to explore light next week on the surface of water using submersible mini tap lights in the water table. The students will be able to see the light reflected off of the surface of the water as well as underneath it. Students will be encouraged to manipulate the tap lights with the water.