Product Code:
OPTIC005
Description:
HOO Module 4: Peculiar Polarization -Where would astronomy be without Galileo and his telescope? Where would
physics be without Newton breaking light into its colors with his prism?
“My heart leaps up when I behold/A rainbow in the sky,” wrote William
Wordsworth. Where would we humans be without our love affair with
rainbows and light? Questions like these are the impetus behind the
National Science Foundation-funded program Hands-On Optics: Making an
Impact with Light. Hands-On Optics (HOO) brings optics education to
middle school students through hands-on activities. We are pleased to be
able to bring our modules to schools. The kits were developed by a team
from the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, the Optical Society of
America, and the International Society for Optical Engineering and were
extensively field-tested in classrooms and museums across the country.
The NSF has funded the development of six modules, suitable for use in
classrooms, after-school programs, or museum settings. Each module
focuses on a different area of optics and contains enough material for a
class of students to engage in interesting hands-on optics activities.
The modules are designed to be exploratory in nature and are
inquiry-based. These activities have been classroom tested and are
aligned with national science, math and technology standards. Teacher
demonstration equipment is also included in each module. Module 4 —
Peculiar Polarization. Students continue their exploration of light by
learning what is meant by polarized light. They explore a diverse
variety of topics such as birefringence, why we use polarized
sunglasses, optically active substances, polarized light from LCD
screens, and stress analysis using polarized light. The culminating
challenge is a unique activity where students use their knowledge of
polarized light to create a work of art.
Specification:
HOO Module 4: Peculiar Polarization
