Centre:

What melts in the sun? Explicit / Intentional Teaching: Centre: Spectroscope Craft
Fill a muffin tin with an assortment of objects Light, Heat and Reflection Teacher will need to cut a small angled slit
such as chocolate, cheese, wooden blocks, a Mat session: toward the bottom of cardboard tubes.
rock, butter, crayons etc. Children may like to Introduction: Directly across from the slit, place a small
help choose what to put in the tray. Have the peephole for viewing. Tape a cardboard circle
children predict which objects they think will Teacher will call children to the mat. covering to the bottom of the spectroscope
melt in the sun. Place the tray in the sun and The teacher will begin by holding up a torch, and cut a straight slit right across the centre
set a timer for 10 min. and asking, “do you know what this is?” of your cardboard circle. The children can
After 10 mins, come back and check what has The children should remember the torch from insert the CD into the angled slit. Once
melted and what has remained the same. previous lessons. finished, take the spectroscope outside and
The teacher will hold up a mirror. They will point the top slit up at the sky (NOT directly at
demonstrate turning on the torch and the sun). Because the CD’s surface is
pointing it at the mirror. The teacher will mirrored, the light is reflected to your eye and
explain that light reflects and when we shine they should see a
light on mirrors or reflective surfaces, it will rainbow.
shine back. Reflection is bouncing of light Now ask the children to
when it hits a particular type of surface. try the spectroscope
with other light sources
https://frugalfun4boys.com/simple-science- The teacher will then play the video – like fluorescent light,
experiment-for-kids-what-melts-in-the-sun/ https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2rvd3j neon light and candle
light. Compare what
Key Questions: Key Questions: you see!
• What do you think will melt? • How does the light come back?
• Why do you think they melt? • What is it called when the light
• Would they still melt if we used a lamp, or bounces off the mirror?
other light source? https://buggyandbuddy.com/homemade-
• Will it work with other sources of
spectroscope/
light?
Key Questions:
 • What colours can you see?
• Is the CD reflective?
• What other sources of light can you use?

Centre: Exploring Reflections Conclusion: Centre: Bouncing Spotlights

Put out glass jars and containers, some filled Place a torch on a table in a dark room
with water, some not. Have posters with The teacher will call the students to the mat. (switched on). Hold a mirror in front of the
different colour stripes, and an arrow. Have The teacher will ask the students to do a torch. Ask the children where does the beam
kids look through an empty jar at the poster. think-pair-share with the person next to them of light shine? Is the light beam where you
Then pour water into the jar – the image about different surfaces that might reflect thought it would land?
flips. Have them experiment with the light. The class will then discuss. If the Now place a ball close by and ask the children
different size jars, with different size drawings children cannot think of any, the teacher may to try moving the mirror to see if you can get
and moving the image closer or further away. scaffold by using pictures of different the spot of light to reach the ball. Continue
reflective surfaces (e.g. water, mirror, CD, trying to get the light spot to hit different
Key Questions: disco ball, spoon, sunglasses, windows). objects in the room.
• Why do you think the image flips?
• Can you make the image smaller/bigger? Key Questions: Key Questions:
• What are some reflective surfaces you • Is the light beam where you thought it
can think of? would land?
• Where does the beam of light shine?

Centre: Rainbow CD Reflection Objective/s: Centre: Ice Cube Melt
Use the shiny side of the CD to reflect sunlight
onto poster board or a blank wall and direct Children can:
children to notice the rainbow. • Identify that light is a source of heat
Ask children to notice the shape and colours. • Name different reflective surfaces
What happens when you change the angle of
the CD?
 Cut out various snowflake shapes using paper https://www.thepaigediaries.com/2018/02/pom-pom-
circles and tape one of the paper snowflakes ice-cubes-for-sensory-play/
over the shiny side of
the CD and reflect Set up a table with two large bowls or tubs of
the sunlight onto the ice cubes. Inside some of the ice cubes you
poster board or wall. may choose to freeze pom poms or small toys
How do the patterns or other manipulatives. Place one tub under a
of light look different large light source. Allow the children to
than before? explore and play with the ice in the tubs.
Ask the children if they think the light will
https://buggyandbuddy.com/rainbow-science-create- affect the ice cubes.
light-patterns-with-a-cd/
Key Questions: Key Questions:
• What does it look like? • Which tub do you think will melt first?
• What happens when you change the • How is the light affecting the ice?
angle of the CD? • What is happening in each tub?
• Does the ice change when you pick it up
with your hands?

Assessment & Recording: (What are we assessing? How are we assessing? How are we recording?)
Children can:
• Identify that light is a source of heat
• Name different reflective surfaces

The teacher will use lots of questioning and observation to assess these objectives.
They will record their findings with anecdotal notes and may record some conversations to further analyse.

EYLF Outcomes
Outcome 4

Þ 4.1 Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence,
imagination and reflexivity.
Þ 4.2 Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating
Þ 4.3 Children transfer and adapt what they have learnt from one context to another

Outcome 5

Þ 5.1 Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes
Þ 5.3 Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media
Þ 5.4 Children begin to understand how symbols and patterns systems work