UNIT COVER PAGE
Regular & Honors Physics
Bremen Dist. 228
School District:
Department:
Unit Title: Waves-Sound-Light
Science
Physics
Course:
Grade Levels:
9, 11 & 12
Topic Areas: Light: Electromagnetic Frequency & Color
Time Frame:
1 ½ weeks
Unit Designer(s):
Date Created:
04/25/2005
Date Modified:
Robert Swiech
Link to State Standards
12.11.69
12.11.71
12.11.72
Indicate that the speed of light differs in some material from its speed in a
vacuum is given by the index of refraction for that material, n, where n is the
ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in the material.
Also know that light follows the path of least time through various materials
and that this is not the same as the shortest distance.
Understand that sound causes molecules of a medium to vibrate back and
forth. This series of compressions and rarefactions produces waves.
Understand how sound travels through different mediums.
Link to Department Learner Program Outcomes (LPO)
5.11.1.2
5.9.1.2
TLW relate scientific information and principles to the development of
consumer products.
TLW use scientific and/or technological instruments such as balances, meter
sticks, graduated cylinders and thermometers to make observations and/or
measurements.
Summary of Unit
This unit covers the Electromagnetic spectrum. How wavelengths can be found on the spectrum.
Basics on light phenomena such as speed of light, light year, ray. Also basics of color as it is
associated with light: Primary and Complementary colors, Pigments, Opaque, transparent,
translucent. Finally polarization and shadows.
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Resources
Electromagnetic Spectrum Poster or diagrams, Sun-glasses (polarization), Textbook, Teachers
ancillary materials, workbook, Paul Hewitt video (Light and color), Color wheels,
Complementary colors, Light source with various colored bulbs (green, red, blue, etc.)
Key Words
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Electromagnetic Wave
Infrared
Light-year
Opaque
Penumbra
Ray
Shadow
Ultra Violet
Illumenance
Complimentary Colors
Polarizations
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Pigments
Transparent
Umbra
Primary Colors
Penumbra
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STAGE 1: IDENTIFY DESIRED RESULTS
Enduring Understandings
Students will understand that
light has a dual nature (particles/waves)
light has characteristics of both particles & waves
white light is a combination of all light colors
light comes in many different frequencies (wavelengths)
the color of an object is due to light reflected vs. light absorbed
visible light is just a small portion of the broader electromagnetic spectrum.
there is a difference between subtractive and additive colors
Essential Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
Why is your shirt green?
How fast does light travel?
How is a rainbow formed?
What is a light year?
Knowledge and Skills
Students will know
the speed of light in a vacuum (300,000 km/s)
light is the farthest thing in the universe
calculate wavelength from frequency
calculate frequency from wavelength
illuminance
E=
P
4πr2
Students will be able to
describe the relationship between light, radio, micro, x-rays
identify colors with frequencies
Students will be familiar with
primary colors/pigments
how the speed of light was measured (history)
complimentary colors/pigments
shadows
opaque/transparent/translucent
polarization
comparing light to a wave and particle
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STAGE 2: DETERMINE ACCEPTABLE EVIDENCE
What evidence will show that students understand?
Required Assessments (brief description)
Treasure Hunt:
 Regular – uses a CD
 Honors – uses a DVD
Other Assessments (brief description)
Demo with different color lights
Historical perspectives
The Bags – changes with exposure to UV lights
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PLAN LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND INSTRUCTION
What sequence of teaching and learning experiences will equip students
to develop and demonstrate the desired understandings?
Learning Activities
W
How will you ensure that all students know where they are headed in the unit, why they are
headed there, and how they will be evaluated?
Summary of unit and objectives
H
How will you hook students at the beginning of the unit?
With questions the students can relate to:
Why is the sky blue?
Can you see light?
Rainbows
Can you see dark?
E
What events will help students experience and explore the big idea and questions in the unit?
How will you equip them with needed skills and knowledge?
Prisms
Color wheel
R
How will you cause students to reflect and rethink? How will you guide them in rehearsing,
revising, and refining their work?
How students reflect upon activities covered on how has their thinking changed?
E
How will you help students to exhibit and self-evaluate their growing skills, knowledge, and
understanding throughout the unit?
Practice problems on luminance/speed of light
Descriptions/explanations of phenomena covered
T
How will you tailor and otherwise personalize the learning plan to optimize the engagement and
effectiveness of ALL students, without compromising the goals of the unit?
Hands-on activities and labs
Group work projects/presentations
Students who are excelling assist those kind struggle
O
How will you organize and sequence the learning activities to optimize the engagement and
achievement of ALL students?
Due nature of light (particle/wave)
-speed of light
-spectrum (wave lengths)
-discussion of real life applications
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Essential Questions at Topic Level
Use the six facets of understanding to generate possible essential questions for the topic of
your three-circle audit (curricular priorities).
Explanation
Interpretation
Why are the sky
blue and the
grass green?
Application
Why are there so
many colors in a
rainbow?
How long does it
take for light to
travel from the
sun to the Earth?
(Topic Area)
EMF & Color
Empathy
How does a cell
phone
communicate
instantly with
Hong Kong from
Chicago?
Perspective
Self-Knowledge
Why can you not
get a suntan
from light bulbs?
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Why can you
look into an
operating
microwave
without being
exposed to
microwaves?
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Student Performance Task
Unit: Waves, Sound & Light
Task: Interpretation
Course: Regular Physics
Time Frame: 1-2 days
Overarching Understanding:

Students will understand that inquiry and design can lead to a deeper understanding
and use technology and how it changes over time to improve our lives.
Enduring Understanding:

Students will understand that light comes in many different frequencies
(wavelengths).
Essential Question:

Why are there so many colors in a rainbow?
Vignette:
You are a treasure hunter seeking the “Pot of Gold” at the end of the rainbow. In
order to accomplish this task, you must decipher the rainbow code found within a CD.
Complete the lab exercise and compile your results in a lab report.
Standard:
You will be graded on the following rubric:
 List of color order – 30%
 Setup and calculation of wavelengths, units – 50%
 Correct answers – 20%
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Performance Task Blueprint (regular)
Unit:
Waves/Sound/Light
Type: Interpretation
Topic Area:
E.M.F./Light/Color
Goal
To discover the colors of white light that shines off of a compact disc and
calculate the wave length of each color.
Time Frame: 1-2 days
You are a treasure hunter
Role
Audience
The “Leprechaun” (Teacher or other groups) dare you to find the “Pot of
gold” at the end of the rainbow.
Situation
You must decipher the “rainbow code” order of light colors in a CD and
their wavelengths to reach the “Pot of gold” at the end.
Product or
Performance
Standards
Setup light source and compact disc
Students must identify orders of colors and record them
Using agreed upon class distances and angles students must
calculate wavelengths.
Lab Report
List of color order (30%)
Setup and calculation of wavelengths, units (50%)
Correct answers (20%)
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Student Performance Task
Unit: Waves, Sound & Light
Task: Interpretation
Course: Honors Physics
Time Frame: 1-2 days
Overarching Understanding:

Students will understand that inquiry and design can lead to a deeper understanding
and use technology and how it changes over time to improve our lives.
Enduring Understanding:

Students will understand that light comes in many different frequencies
(wavelengths).
Essential Question:

Why are there so many colors in a rainbow?
Vignette:
You are a treasure hunter seeking the “Pot of Gold” at the end of the rainbow. In
order to accomplish this task, you must decipher the rainbow code found within a DVD.
Complete the lab exercise and compile your results in a lab report.
Standard:
You will be graded on the following rubric:
 List of color order – 30%
 Setup and calculation of wavelengths, units – 50%
 Correct answers – 20%
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Performance Task Blueprint (honors)
Unit:
Waves/Sound/Light
Type: Interpretation
Topic Area:
E.M.F./Light/Color
Goal
To discover the colors of white light that shines off of a DVD and
calculate the wave length of each color.
Time Frame: 1-2 days
You are a treasure hunter
Role
Audience
The “Leprechaun” (Teacher or other groups) dare you to find the “Pot of
gold” at the end of the rainbow.
Situation
You must decipher the “rainbow code” order of light colors in a DVD and
their wavelengths to reach the “Pot of gold” at the end.
Product or
Performance
Standards
Setup light source and compact disc
Students must identify orders of colors and record them
Using agreed upon class distances and angles students must
calculate wavelengths.
Lab Report
List of color order (30%)
Setup and calculation of wavelengths, units (50%)
Correct answers (20%)
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Creating Possible Performances
Performance
verb
Possible performances for
Performance
Generalization
Electromagnetic Frequency & Color
(topic/unit)
Facet One: Explanation
1.
Justify why the sky is blue & the grass is green
by
writing a paragraph.
Facet Two: Interpretation
2.
Make sense of a rainbow
by
experimenting with a prism.
by
solving a problem.
Facet Three: Application
3.
Solve for the speed of light
Facet Four: Perspective
4.
Analyze the size of a microwave grid to the size of
the visible wavelength
by
creating a drawing.
Facet Five: Empathy
5.
Consider how fast cells phones operate
by
writing a comparison between communication
methods 200 years ago to today.
Facet Six: Self-Knowledge
6.
Realize you can’t get a sunburn from light bulbs
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by
journaling your observations of
demonstrations.
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