Students will demonstrate knowledge of visible light interactions with different materials and through different mediums (air, solids, and water). Students will use Sphero Bolt to create a flashlight. The goal is to create the brightest light from the LED lights on the Sphero BOLT. Students will need to understand how light interacts with different substances to successfully create the brightest flashlight. They will also test their lights in water to see how waves change direction and speed in different mediums.  The Light intensity will be measured using the function in google science journal.

Traditionally, spectral images are two dimensional, and related to text. This kinesthetic activity has groups of students position themselves along a printed spectrum to make spectral patterns and model various elements. Includes photos, teachers notes and instructions, related resources (e.g., color pdf of a visible light spectra image that can be projected onto a white board or wall to do the activity), and alternative suggestions.

Students learn about using renewable energy from the Sun for heating and cooking as they build and compare the performance of four solar cooker designs. They explore the concepts of insulation, reflection, absorption, conduction and convection.

Students are introduced to the correct technical vocabulary for lighting, which is different than layperson's terms. They learn about lamp (light bulb) technology and how to identify the various types of lighting in their spaces. They are also introduced to lighting controls as a means for saving energy- reducing costs, human energy consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions on the environment. Using an accompanying worksheet, students embark on a guided audit in which they survey the lighting in their classroom and identify the potential savings from using controls.

Dieter Hartmann, a high-energy physicist, presents a story-based lesson on the science of Gamma-Ray astronomy. The lesson focuses on gamma-ray bursts; examining their sources, types, and links to the origin and evolution of the Universe. The story-based format of the lesson also provides insights into the nature of science. Students answer questions based on the reading guide. A list of supplemental websites is also included.

This article describes the energy that radiates from the sun, the concept of albedo, Earth's radiation budget, and the effect of decreasing albedo on Earth's climate.

Student groups rotate through four stations to examine light energy behavior: refraction, magnification, prisms and polarization. They see how a beam of light is refracted (bent) through various transparent mediums. While learning how a magnifying glass works, students see how the orientation of an image changes with the distance of the lens from its focal point. They also discover how a prism works by refracting light and making rainbows. And, students investigate the polar nature of light using sunglasses and polarized light film.

Students participating in Storm Signals play a critical role in the overall process of the Student Observation Network (S.O.N.). They are able to confirm the predictions of the Sunspotter's Sunspot Suspect, and they will predict magnetic storms around Earth, issuing Space Weather alerts that tell other students to begin monitoring the Magnetosphere for magnetic storms. By collecting and analyzing real-time data from their radio antennas, professional observatories, and NASA satellites, they can carry out the same duties as NASA researchers! The Space Weather alerts issued by the Space Environment Center (SEC) of NOAA (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration) are essential to protect satellites, power grids and astronauts.

In Storm Signals you will learn:

1. How to instruct students in the construction of a simple device to detect radio emissions from the Sun.

2. How to enable students to obtain and interpret radio emissions from ground-based professional observatories.

3. How to enable students to obtain and interpret radio, x-ray and ultraviolet emissions from NASA satellites.

The Sunspotters program of the Student Observation Network (SON) is excellent for grades K +12. There are activities for all grades available. You or your students may think of other questions to investigate that can lead to open inquiry by using live and archived data. By collecting and analyzing real-time data from student telescopes, professional observatories, and NASA satellites, they can carry out the same duties as NASA researchers!

In Sunspotters you will learn:

How to instruct students in the construction and use of simple solar telescopes to observe sunspots and to predict which sunspots are most likely to produce solar flares or coronal mass ejections,

How to enable students to obtain and interpret data from ground-based professional observatories,

How to enable students to obtain and interpret data from NASA satellites.