Physics and Chemistry · 5th Year

Active learning ideas

Reflection and Refraction

Reflection and Refraction explores how light changes direction when it interacts with surfaces or moves between different mediums. Students learn that reflection involves light 'bouncing' off smooth surfaces, like mirrors, while refraction is the 'bending' of light as it passes from one substance to another (e.g., from air into water). This topic is a core part of the NCCA 'Energy and Forces' strand.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• SESE Science: Energy and forces - Light
• Working Scientifically: Investigating and experimenting

• 35–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Inquiry Circle
• 35 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Mirror Maze

Groups are given three small mirrors and a target. They must position the mirrors to bounce a torch beam around an obstacle to hit the target, recording the angles they used.

How do mirrors reflect light?

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Stations Rotation
• 40 min · Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Refraction Wonders

Set up stations: a pencil in a glass of water, a coin 'disappearing' under a glass, and a prism creating a rainbow. Students observe and draw what they see, trying to explain why the light is 'tricking' their eyes.

Why does a pencil look bent in a glass of water?

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Peer Teaching
• 45 min · Pairs

Peer Teaching: Periscope Builders

Students build simple periscopes using milk cartons and mirrors. They then explain to a partner from a different group how the two mirrors work together to allow them to see over obstacles.

What is refraction?

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

---

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• Light bends *because* of the water.

  Students think water has a 'magic' property. It's important to explain that light bends because it changes *speed* when it enters a denser material. Using the analogy of a car hitting sand with one wheel helps illustrate this change in speed and direction.

• We see objects because our eyes send out 'sight rays.'

  This is a common ancient belief. Active modeling with a torch and a ball in a dark room shows that we only see the ball when light *reflects* off it and enters our eyes, not the other way around.

---

Methods used in this brief

• Inquiry Circle
• Stations Rotation
• Peer Teaching