This time of the year is a good time to do a little study about light and reflection because Christmas lights are everywhere. We generally take light for granted until there is a power outage! What is it about light that makes that crystal hanging in my window send sparkles all over the room when the sun shines on it? What makes a kaleidoscope produce those awesome designs? I have found some excellent websites about light and reflection. Keep reading!
Generation Genius
This website is amazing! It is dedicated to teaching about science in a way that is easy to understand and engaging! There is a video that not only teaches, but also entertains. There are vocabulary words and discussion questions to ponder after watching the video. I highly recommend this site for helping your children learn about the science of light and reflection. Please click here to get to the site.
Kaleidoscopes
After your kids learn a little bit about the reflection of light, they will probably enjoy learning some facts about a fun reflector of light, the kaleidoscope! National Kaleidoscope Day happens to be on December 11th this year, so that makes it even better. Sir David Brewster created the kaleidoscope in 1815 when he was doing experiments on light polarization and intended for it to be used as a scientific tool. To his surprise, it became a very popular toy, and in 1817 he sold over 200,000 kaleidoscopes in London and Paris in just three months! I learned this information on the Wonderopolis website which is another great science resource for you and your kids. There is a virtual kaleidoscope on the site that is amazing if you have Adobe Flash on your computer. Check it out by clicking here.
Kiddle
One more site for you to visit during your study of light reflection and kaleidoscopes is a site called Kiddle Encyclopedia. It has the definition and history of kaleidoscopes and also cool images of different kaleidoscopes around the world. Click here to view.
I know you and your children will enjoy learning about the reflection of light. Check out the STEAM Ahead on this DownHome site to find some ways to make kaleidoscopes at home!
