⭐ Get this seasons lab at a HUGE DISCOUNT in my complete SEASONS UNIT! ⭐
EASY SUPPLIES (with easy substitutions)! Students measure how the angle at which the Earth receives light changes the intensity and spread of the light.
In this activity, students will:
- PERFORM THE LAB: Students aim a flashlight (or a cell phone light – see note below) at graph paper at various angles and measure the area that the light spreads. Clear and easy-to-follow instructions are included, as well as a data table to record results.
- GRAPH area of light versus angle of light to see that the larger the angle, the larger the area that the light spreads over and the less concentrated it is.
- ANSWER follow-up analysis questions, including a CER.
Easy Materials List:
- Flashlight (We include instructions on how to rig a cellphone flashlight to work, as well.)
- Toilet paper or paper towel tube (Not necessary if using the cell phone set-up.)
- Tape
- Ruler
- Graph paper (printable graph paper included with purchase)
- Protractor (printable protractor included with purchase)
- Also Required But Can Be Substituted: box, clipboard, colored pencils
⭐ IMPORTANT NOTE ⭐ This lab setup is the same as my uneven heating of Earth lab, however, this version has different questions that focus on how the tilt of Earth’s seasons contributes to seasons. If you have already done my uneven heating of Earth lab with a class, this lab would be redundant, even though it does have a different “spin.”
Teacher Notes:
- INCLUDES AN ANSWER KEY.
- Please note that this seasons lab is not editable.
- NGSS Standards: MS ESS1-1
- NGSS Science & Engineering Practices: Developing and using models
- NGSS Science & Engineering Practice: Planning and carrying out investigations
- NGSS Science & Engineering Practice: Analyzing and interpreting data
- NGSS Science & Engineering Practice: Engaging in argument from evidence
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Related Standards:
- NGSS MS-ESS1-1: Develop and use a model of the Earth-sun-moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses, and seasons.
