Entry tags:
science for tinies: laser!
Project: Light: Will It Bend?
Materials: laser pointer, mirror, prism, cup of water
Explanatory details: I turned off the lights and showed Junie the laser pointer and she tried it out (pointing at the wall). Then I showed her how we could reflect the beam with a mirror or bend it with the prism. I was hoping we could bend it with the water but it was harder to tell if anything was happening there.
How did it go: Fine. Junie was not super-fascinated, nor particularly able to aim, but it held her interest for a bit.
Things we talked about: The light goes in a straight line, but the mirror or prism can bend that line. (We also talked about not aiming the laser pointer at anyone's face.)
What Junie got out of it: She was primarily interested in the way aiming the laser pointer into the water made the water glow red. Then she realized she had water and demanded ducks.
Materials: laser pointer, mirror, prism, cup of water
Explanatory details: I turned off the lights and showed Junie the laser pointer and she tried it out (pointing at the wall). Then I showed her how we could reflect the beam with a mirror or bend it with the prism. I was hoping we could bend it with the water but it was harder to tell if anything was happening there.
How did it go: Fine. Junie was not super-fascinated, nor particularly able to aim, but it held her interest for a bit.
Things we talked about: The light goes in a straight line, but the mirror or prism can bend that line. (We also talked about not aiming the laser pointer at anyone's face.)
What Junie got out of it: She was primarily interested in the way aiming the laser pointer into the water made the water glow red. Then she realized she had water and demanded ducks.