Light, Color and Perception Series


In general we are aiming to achieve four basic goals in out projects and activities:
•Presenting basic scientific concepts in an interactive manner using everyday materials
•Encouraging experimentation as a means of confirming scientific principles 
•Developing creative problem solving skills and critical thinking
•Promoting observation to reveal unseen aspects of everyday phenomena

We introduce most topics, such as light, sound, electricity in series over a few weeks in order to develop and reinforce basic concepts, and to ensure there is a balance between guided instruction and experimentation.  In the case of light we usually do a day of interactive demonstrations covering light and color, bending and reflecting light and some aspects of visual perception. Then to reiterate we make spectroscopes for color, camera-projectors for light bending/image formation, then stroboscopes and zoetropes for perception over the following weeks.  After that, depending on the age of the group a few more advanced projects can be added.  The following posts are instructions for our main four light projects.    





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