7/7/2015

ReflectionActivities

ReflectionActivities
MirrorMagic
UsePlasticinetofixacomb,withitsteeth
pointingupwards,justinfrontofaboardor
boxlid.Aimthecombatthesunbutdonot
lookatthesun.Letwhitelightshinethrough
theteeth,toformparallel(sidebyside)rays,
makingwhitelines.Noticehowlightusually
travelsinstraightlines.Thatiswhylight
castsshadows,andwhyyoucannotnormally
seearoundcorners.
Holdaplanemirror,withitsedgetouchingtheboard,inthepathoftherays.Observehow
themirrorreflectsthem.Anglesformedwiththemirrorbeforeandafterreflectionarealways
equal.Thishelpstoexplainhowyouseeyourselfinaplanemirror.
RaysfrompointsAandBtraveltothe
mirror,wheretheyarereflectedbacktoyour
eyes.Youdonotsensethattheraysare
bouncingoffthemirror.Yourbrainbelieves
thattheyarecomingfrompointsA1andB1
(thatseemtobebehindor"inside"the
mirror).

ToMakeMirrorWriting
Putcarbonpaper,carbonsideup,ona
magazine.Useaninklessballpentowritea
messageonpaperwhichyouhaveputover
thecarbon.Readthewritingbylookingatits
imageinamirror.

FunnyFaces

http://www.tooter4kids.com/Light_Color/reflection_activities.htm

1/5

7/7/2015

ReflectionActivities

Isyourfacesymmetrical?Findaphotograph

ofyourselfwhichshowsyourwholeface
fromthefront.Holdamirrordownthe
middleofthephotograph.Lookatbothsides
ofyourface.Doesyourfacelookstrange?

MirrorPainting
1. Tomakeasymmetricalpainting,youwillneed:newspaper,plainpaper,posterpaints,

jarofwater,paintbrush,apron.
2. Putontheapronandlaysomenewspaperonatableoronthefloorsoyouwon'tmakea
mess.
3. Mixseveraldifferentcolorswiththeposterpaints.Makeeachcolorfairlythick.
4. Usethebrushtodroporbrushpaintontooneside
5. Foldthepaperoverandpressdowntosmoothoutofthepaper.

Whathappens
Whenyouopenthepaper,youwillhaveapaintingthatisthesameonbothsides,justasif
youwerelookinginamirror.

BouncingBack
Whenlighthitsasmoothsurface,italwaysbouncesbackatamatchingangle.Toseehow
thisworks,trythistest.
Youwillneed:alargemirror,twocardboardtubes,aflashlight,somebooks.
http://www.tooter4kids.com/Light_Color/reflection_activities.htm

2/5

7/7/2015

ReflectionActivities

1. Usethebookstopropthemirrorupright.
2. Holdonetubeatananglewiththeendtouchingthemirror.
3. Askafriendtoholdthesecondtubeatamatchingangle.
4. Shinetheflashlightintothetubeyouareholding.

Whathappens
Whenthetubesareatthecorrectangle,thelightwillbounceoffthemirroranddowntothe
endofthesecondtube.Ifyourfriendholdsherhandattheendofthetube,shewillseea
circleofreflectedlight.Onaroughsurface,lightisnotreflectedlikethis.Itisscatteredback
inseveraldifferentdirections.

MakeaKaleidoscope
Theword"kaleidoscope"means"beautifultolookat."Ifyoumakeakaleidoscope,youwill
beabletoseelotsofbeautifulsymmetricalpatterns.
Youwillneed:stiffcardboard,apencil,scissors,blackpaperorathickblackfeltpen,
aluminumfoil,glue,clearplastic,tracingpaper,cellophanetape,smallcoloredshapesor
beads.
Card9x6inches
Foilandblackpanelsinside
Blankpanel
Tapedowntheedge
1. Withanadult'shelp,cutoutapieceofcardboardabout9inchesby6inches.
2. Withthepencil,dividethecardintofourequalstrips.Eachstripshouldbe1{inches

wide.
3. Askanadulttohelpyouscorethelinessothecardboardiseasiertofold.
4. Stickfoilovertwoofthepanels.Makesureitisassmoothaspossible.
http://www.tooter4kids.com/Light_Color/reflection_activities.htm

3/5

7/7/2015

ReflectionActivities

5. Stickblackpaperoverthethirdpanelorcoloritblack.
6. Leavethefourthpanelblank.
7. Foldthecardboardtomakeatriangularshapeandtapethesidetoholditinplace.

8. Stickapieceofclearplasticovereachendofyourkaleidoscope.
9. Putthecoloredshapesorbeadsoveronepieceofplasticandsticksometracingpaper

overthetop.Leaveenoughroomfortheshapestoslideabout.
10. Holdyourkaleidoscopeoverabrightlight.

Whathappens
Thelightbouncesbackandforthbetweenthefoilmirrors.Thereflectionsofthecolored
shapesorbeadsmakeinterestingpatterns.Tochangethepattern,shakeyourkaleidoscopeso
http://www.tooter4kids.com/Light_Color/reflection_activities.htm

4/5

7/7/2015

ReflectionActivities

theshapesorbeadsmoveintonewpositions.

Foundthesepicturesontheweb.Ifthesepicturesshouldnotofbeenused,pleaseemailmeandI
willpromptlyremovethem.

http://www.tooter4kids.com/Light_Color/reflection_activities.htm

5/5