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Course: Middle school physics - NGSS > Unit 4
Lesson 5: Activity: How can light interactions be used to create art?Activity: How can light interactions be used to create art?
Make science come alive in your classroom with this free hands-on activity aligned to middle school NGSS standards.
Activity: How can light interactions be used to create art?
You may not have thought about physics the last time you admired a work of art. Still, we would not be able to enjoy art without the physics of light. Artists must consider how light will interact with their work, whether it is a drawing, painting, sculpture, or another art form. A beautiful painting or stained glass window doesn’t look like much in the dark!
In this activity students will investigate how light interacts with different materials. Then, they'll use their understanding of light and color to design a piece of art for a unique gallery.
Overview
This activity is designed to be completed in two 45-minute class periods, with additional time required for follow-up creative projects. The activity consists of the following parts:
- Setting the stage—Students review the fundamentals of light reflection, absorption, and transmission. (10 minutes)
- Investigation—Students shine light on various materials and observe the amounts and colors of light which are reflected, absorbed, and transmitted in each case. (15 minutes)
- Let's get creative!—Students imagine they are artists hired to create a piece of art to be displayed with white light shining on it from behind. Students sketch their design plans and explain how light will interact with their designs. (20 minutes) Finally, students create and display their art. (45 minutes)
- Keep creating!—Students can choose from additional project ideas. Each project encourages students to combine scientific knowledge with creativity to produce something new.
Download the worksheets and get started today!
You can print out this activity or upload it to a digital classroom.
- Student activity guide (9 page worksheet)
- Teacher guide (step-by-step instructions)
NGSS performance expectations
MS-PS4-2. Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.
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Art can use light to create depth, detail and atmosphere, and to convey emotion or to make a statement. Artists have always used light to emphasize certain aspects of their works of art.(7 votes)
While this is true, artists also use darker colors nd the absence of light to reflect other emotions.(0 votes)
what is the difference between reflection, refraction, and absorption?(3 votes)
reflection means that light is being bounced off a material, refraction means the bending of light when passing through different mediums, and absorption means that light is taken in or soaked up by a material.(4 votes)
- what is to reflect(3 votes)
to bounce off of(4 votes)
how come glass art looks so beautiful?(4 votes)
Light going through glass, and your opinion. I like it too!(2 votes)
- my mom makes me bring my matte black plastic water bottle to school and track every day instead of my meal shiny one and it gets so hot(4 votes)
- Smart. I've never been a fan of warm water on a summer afternoon! ;((1 vote)
I tried this out at home. It is worth it!(4 votes)- the art in the widow shine thogh the wideow and reflects(3 votes)
if I make a glass house and the light shines through can I cook a can of beans on the couch?(2 votes)
On the second wednesday of the week(1 vote)
Are there certain colors that light passes through better and the colors show brighter?(1 vote)- how do big is the amplitude and how do I solve the frequency(1 vote)