Primary Type: Lesson Plan
Status: Published
This is a resource from CPALMS (www.cpalms.org) where all educators go for bright ideas!
Resource ID#: 18939
The Electromagnetic Spectrum
The students will identify the various types of radiation that come from the Sun and compare/contrast the types of radiation in terms of their
arrangement in the electromagnetic spectrum.
Content statements:
The waves that come from the Sun are organized in the electromagnetic spectrum according to their wavelengths.
Radio waves have the longest wavelengths and gamma rays have the shortest.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): 7
Intended Audience: Educators
Instructional Time: 1 Hour(s)
Resource supports reading in content area: Yes
Freely Available: Yes
Keywords: Waves, energy, wavelength, frequency, electromagnetic spectrum
Resource Collection: iCPALMS
ATTACHMENTS
graphicforSC7P101.docx
LESSON CONTENT
Lesson Plan Template: Confirmatory or Structured Inquiry
Learning Objectives: What will students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?
The students will:
Identify the various types of radiation that come from the Sun.
Compare and contrast the types of radiation in terms of their arrangement in the electromagnetic spectrum.
Content statements:
The Sun’s radiation is made up of radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, uv, x­rays, and gamma rays.
The waves in the electromagnetic spectrum are organized according to their wavelengths.
Radio waves have the longest wavelengths and gamma rays have the shortest.
Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
Wavelength, frequency, and energy.
Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
What types of energy are coming from the Sun?
Based on what piece of information did you arrange the cards?
Which electromagnetic waves have the longest wavelengths?
page 1 of 3 Which electromagnetic waves have the shortest wavelengths?
Introduction: How will the teacher introduce the lesson to the students?
Students are in groups of 3. Each chooses a number - 1, 2, or 3.
Show students a NASA picture of the Sun's radiation going to Earth and the Earth's magnetosphere protecting/shielding the Earth. (See the graphics file in the
"Uploaded File Attachments" at the end of this lesson.)
Ask: What event is this picture showing us?
2s write down all of the groups' observations on the white wipe board. Randomly call on students to share groups' answers.
Investigate: What question(s) will students be investigating? What process will students follow to collect information that can be
used to answer the question(s)?
Ask: Many forms of energy (or radiation) come from the Sun. What are they? 3s add their groups' answers to the observations on the white wipe boards.
Give each group the strip of paper depicting a wave and the 7 information cards about electromagnetic waves. Tell the students that they are to read the cards and
put them in order along the wave picture.
Ask: What specific information did your group use to organize the cards? What other information did the cards provide?
Analyze: How will students organize and interpret the data collected during the investigation?
After all the groups have arranged their cards, 1s answer the following questions on the white wipe boards:
Which electromagnetic wave has the longest wavelength?
Which electromagnetic wave has the shortest wavelength?
What wave property increased as the wavelength decreased?
What happens to the energy as the wavelength decreases?
Randomly call on students to share the groups’ answers.
Closure: What will the teacher do to bring the lesson to a close? How will the students make sense of the investigation?
Direct Instruction: The electromagnetic spectrum is the entire range of electromagnetic waves arranged according to their wavelengths. Radio waves have the longest
wavelengths and gamma rays have the shortest. As the wavelengths get shorter, the frequencies get higher and the energy gets higher. All of these electromagnetic
waves come from the Sun (but they also come from other sources as well).
Returning to the NASA picture in the Introduction activity: The Earth’s magnetosphere (magnetic fields surrounding the Earth) act like a shield, protecting the Earth
from harmful radiation such as the Gamma rays. Other radiation (infrared, visible light, and uv radiation) are able to penetrate the magnetosphere to enter our
atmosphere.
Think-Pair-Share:
Why is visible light the only part of the electromagnetic spectrum we can see without special equipment?
Why is uv radiation dangerous to us but not radio waves?
Feedback to Students
Throughout the activity, the teacher is able to assess student learning by viewing the groups' answers written on their white wipe boards. In addition to answering the
guiding questions and during activity questions, teachers can ask additional questions based on group responses he/she sees or hears. After the content is
taught/clarified (in Closure), student responses to the Think-Pair-Share can also be used for assessment.
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Accommodations:
Students with learning needs are working in groups with knowledgeable peers.
Special Materials Needed:
White wipe boards with different colored dry erase markers.
See the graphics file in the "Uploaded File Attachments" at the end of this lesson plan for the NASA picture and the EM Spectrum activity cards.
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Contributed by: Lora Lindsey
Name of Author/Source: Lora Lindsey
District/Organization of Contributor(s): Marion
Is this Resource freely Available? Yes
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
page 2 of 3 Related Standards
Name
SC.7.P.10.1:
Description
Illustrate that the sun's energy arrives as radiation with a wide range of wavelengths, including infrared, visible, and
ultraviolet, and that white light is made up of a spectrum of many different colors.
page 3 of 3