Grade 4 Science Lesson 8
Grade 4 Science Lesson 8
Title/Focus
Course
Grade 4 Science
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate and explain what happens when a mirror is placed in the path of a light
(Comprehension & application based)
2. Show that light travels in a straight line from the source it originates until something
opaque blocks it (Comprehension based)
3. Identify objects that are good and poor reflectors of light (Knowledge based)
4. Predict the angle at which the light beam will reflect off the mirror (Comprehension
based)
5. Predict the direction at which the light beam will reflect off the mirror
(Comprehension based)
6. Recognize that the angle at which light is reflected off the mirror is the same angle
that it hits the mirror (Knowledge based)
Cut black construction paper so that it is big enough to cover the front of a
flashlight
Make a demo of flashlight with black paper (make sure black paper taped on has a
hole from the hole punch)
Tape black construction paper onto the flashlight so that the flashlight only has a
small beam of light
Ensure all flashlights work
Set up 4 bundles of supplies on the back table, each bundle should contain:
1 mirror
1 black piece of construction paper
1 Hole punch
1 roll of masking tape
2 pieces of white paper
1 ruler
1 protractor
1 glob of sticky tack
1 small block of wood to act as a stand (Stick the mirror to using the sticky tack
Pull up Smart Notebook slides 6, 7, & 9 (Slide 8 for beginning of class review)USB Science 4 Light Sources
Copy Reflection Activity Check-list (13)
Copy Reflection Experiment Worksheet (13)
Write words on the whiteboard that you want students to pay attention to when
they watch the Youtube video
Set up Youtube video on the computer (starting at 1 min 10 sec)
Popsicle sticks for drawing names for groups
Write on the whiteboard (For Youtube video):
Back surface (back of the mirror)
Light Ray
Angle
Ray of Incidence
Ray of Reflection
Angle of Incidence
Angle of Reflection
Protractor
Normal line
PROCEDURE
Introduction
Time
Body
Review Smart
Notebook Slides
6, 7
&
Mirror, Mirror
Worksheet
Learning
objectives 1, 2, 3,
5&6
Class Discussion
& Slide 9
Learning
objective 1, 2, 3,
4, 5 & 6
Youtube Video:
Law of
Reflection
Practical Activity
for Students
& Slide 10
(Protractor
Demonstration)
Learning
objectives 2, 3 &
6
2 min
Time
15 min
7 min
Whats your
Angle? Checklist & worksheet
Learning
objectives 1, 2, 3,
4, 5 & 6
25 min
5 min
Time
Class Discussion:
-Ask students what they found? What angles did they test? Were their
predictions correct? Why or why not?
-When the light hit the mirror, did it bounce off at the same angle or a different
angle?
-What do they think would happen if they bounced light off of an object that
had a rough surface? (instead of smooth surface like the mirror) Why?
-Is it possible to predict what angle the light will bounce off of the mirror if you
know the angle at which it strikes the mirror? How come? (Angle of Incident =
Angle of Reflection)
-Is it possible to predict the direction that the light will bounce off the mirror if
you know the direction that the light strikes the mirror? Why or why not?
6 min
Assessment
Resources:
Science Program of Study. Retrieved from
https://education.alberta.ca/media/654825/elemsci.pdf
Youtube video: Law of Reflection Practical Activity for Students. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETF2-Zz3J18
Name:
5. Put sticky tack on the back of the mirror (near the bottom) and gently push the mirror
against the wood block so that the mirror stands upright.
Front view of
mirror
mirror
Side view
Wood block
wood block
6. Once the mirror is standing upright, place the mirror on the piece of paper with black
lines on it. Line up the back of the mirror with one of the straight lines drawn on the
white piece of paper (Label this line Back of Mirror)
7. Turn the flashlight on and hold the flashlight so that the small beam of light (passing
through the hole in the construction paper) is at the bottom.
8. Bring the flashlight near the mirror until a thin beam of light can be seen hitting the
mirror and reflecting off the mirror (makes an X in the mirror).
9. Holding the flashlight still, have one person mark with a pencil the beam of light hitting
the mirror (from the flashlight=Ray of Incidence) and the beam of light reflecting off of
the mirror (Ray of Reflection)
10. Move the mirror out of the way before using a ruler to draw a straight line showing
where the Ray of Incidence (light from the flashlight to the mirror) would strike the
back of the mirror. Do this again for the Ray of Reflection (path for the beam of light
reflecting off of the back of the mirror).
11. Label the Ray of Incidence and the Ray of Reflection showing which direction the
light is travelling.
12. Using the protractor mark where 90 degrees is. The bottom line on the protractor should
be lined up on top of the line that represents the Back of Mirror.
13. Once you have marked where 90 degrees is draw a straight line from that mark to the
line labeled Back of Mirror. This is your Normal line
14. Place the protractor over your drawing and count how many degrees the Ray of
Incidence is starting at the 90 degrees mark (Normal Line) and counting by 5s or 10s
until you hit the Ray of Incidence. This is the angle of Incidence.
15. Using the protractor count how many degrees the Ray of Reflection is starting at the 90
degrees mark (Normal Line) and counting by 5s or 10s towards the Ray of Reflection
until you get to the Ray of Reflection. This is the angle of Reflection.
17. Repeat steps 8-16 holding the flashlight at a different angle. *Dont forget to label
your drawings*
18. Record your observations on your worksheet. Do this again until you have four
drawings (one for each line marked on your white paper
Name:
because
Observations:
The first time we shone the light on the mirror we found that:
the Ray of Incidence was
degrees
the Ray of Reflection was
degrees
The second time we shone the light on the mirror we found that:
the Ray of Incidence was
degrees
the Ray of Reflection was
degrees
The third time we shone the light on the mirror we found that:
the Ray of
was
degrees
the Ray of
was
degrees
The fourth time we shone the light on the mirror we found that:
the Ray of
was
degrees
the Ray of
was
degrees.
Conclusion: The light beam that strikes the mirror
Problems:
1. The Ray of Incidence is
Angle of Incidence
Ray of Incidence
Normal Line
Back of Mirror