Part One of this video lesson will explore the science that explains soap bubbles, as well as the application of this knowledge to other areas, such as architecture and biology. We first introduce the concept of surface tension. In Part Two of this video lesson, students will learn where the colors of soap bubbles come from and also learn what soap bubbles and telescopes have in common. The students will first make a connection between light and waves waves and will then go on to explore various characteristics of waves through a series of classroom activities.

This article, written for students in grades 4-5, introduces the concept of albedo and describes the shrinking of Arctic sea ice. Modified versions are available for students in younger grades.

In this video from DragonflyTV, follow the investigation of Isaac and Anjali as they record, measure, and analyze data about how the Sun's position in the sky affects a solar-powered car's speed.

Students will identify photovoltaic solar power as a source of energy and explain what happens when a photovoltaic cell is shaded.

Children will learn about the sources of light by selecting one or some of the activities listed below and will engage in an activity that helps demonstrate how useful light can be. 

This video segment adapted from Shedding Light on Science uses historical illustrations and everyday examples to show that light has a speed and does not travel instantaneously.

What is a star and what shape is it? Students explore both artistic and scientific representations of stars, learn that stars are like the sun but much further away and make their own star hat.

In this podcast, listen to a traditional Inuit tale about the seasonal light and darkness of the Arctic.

Street lights of the same type will look brighter when they are close to you, and less bright when they are farther away. The same applies to astronomical objects: a given star will look brighter to a nearby observer than to an observer far away. In both cases, the difference in brightness can be used to deduce the relative distances of suitable objects. Standard candles, objects of constant intrinsic brightness or whose intrinsic brightness can be determined by careful measurements, are a key tool for astronomical distance determination. In this exploration, you will explore standard candles (and also effects that complicate distance measurements) in a simple everyday setting, namely that of street lights, using a digital camera and freely available software.

This article provides elementary school teachers with background knowledge about science concepts needed to understand the first of seven essential principles of climate literacy--the sun is the primary source of energy for our climate system. Graphs, diagrams, and oneline resources provide more background for the teacher. The article appears in a free online magazine that focuses on the seven essential princples of the climate sciences.

Waves and their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer, from NGSS 1PS 4-1, 4-2, 4-3, and 4-4.

Driving Question: How can I, as a 1st grade engineer, design a device to let people know I am safe, using light and sound?

A Google doc with 10 days of lessons. Student learning outcomes:

Students will create “sound makers” to detect different wavelengths and different sounds
Students will use a variety of materials to change the sounds produced by “earphones”
Students will use flashlights as a light source for pin hole evidence of illumination
Students will create a house with windows created from different materials to detect how light diffuses through materials
Students will create shadows
Students will create cup phones for talking over a distance
Students will create light signals that illuminate over a distance

This interactive activity from the NOVA Web site challenges you to think like Einstein and understand how time travel might be possible.

This video from NASA explains the process by which gamma-ray flashes associated with storms produce matter/antimatter particle pairs.

Four unit plans provide opportunities for in-depth explorations of important foundational climate concepts -- weather, water as a solid, liquid and gas, and the water cycle -- that are appropriate for K-2 and 3-5 learners. These unit plans incorporate many of the lessons highlighted in other articles in this issue of the online magazine Beyond Weather and the Water Cycle. The magazine is structured around the essential principles of the climate sciences.

In this interactive activity adapted from the University of Utah's ASPIRE Lab, learn how to measure wavelengths and see how wavelength affects the color of the light that we see.

Students will witness their classroom with all lights and electronic devices/equipment turned off. They will investigate the impact and then build a simple circuit with a battery and light.