Lesson 1 – Mix It Up

1. 5 pieces of large sized colored construction paper (one each of red, blue, green, white and black)
2. Red, blue and green gels (gelatin filter), Wratten filters or cellophane (your theater department may help you obtain the gels, and they are available in art supply stores)
3. An overhead projector, 3 slide projectors or powerful flashlights with the colored gels or cellophane fixed securely over the lens. You may also use red, blue, and green floodlights from a hardware store.
4. A very large (3’x5’) sheet of white paper, white wall, or a white board
5. A dark room

(You may wish to run this exploration as a small group activity. In that case you will need 3 flashlights for each group and small size gels or cellophane for each group.)

Lesson 2 – Prisms and Rainbows

1. An equilateral glass prism per group (see Appendix for source)
2. White paper per group
3. Colored pencils or crayons per group
4. Overhead projector, slide projector or strong flashlight per group
5. A dark room for first part of activity
6. Copier paper box per group

Lesson 3 – Exploring Spectra

1. Computer with Internet connection
2. Water glass
3. Flashlight, or other directed beam of light
4. Round-bottomed flask, or some spherical glass container (a round fishbowl would work)
5. Small piece of cardboard or poster board that fits over the head of the flashlight
6. 10"x14" piece of white poster board

Lesson 4 – Getting Hotter?

1. Spectroscopes for each group or spectroscope kits or materials for the shoebox spectroscope (see Exploring Spectra – Constructing a Spectroscope: Appendix)
2. 1 CD per group- use old CDs such as promotional CDs
3. 1 or 2 Spectrum tube power supplies (see Appendix for source)
4. Spectrum tubes – at least hydrogen, helium, neon (see Appendix for source)
5. Incandescent light bulb and lamp (60W)
6. Fluorescent (mercury) light source
7. 1 or 2 microscopes – low power or dissecting
8. Periodic Table of the Elements (individual or large display)
9. Crayons or colored pencils- full set per group
10. A fairly dark room
11. Spectrum glasses – optional (see Appendix for source)Lesson 4
12. Equilateral glass prism per group (see Appendix for source)
13. Prism holder (optional) per group
14. 3 alcohol thermometers per group (see Appendix for source)
15. Tape per group
16. Cardboard box per group (a photocopier paper box works very well)
17. Black spray paint (black marker will work)
18. White paper for bottom of box per group
19. Scissors per group

Lesson 5 – Mystery Light

1. 15 special (UV) beads per group (see Appendix for source)
2. 5 dark film canisters per group
3. Equilateral glass prism per group (see Appendix for source)
4. Prism holder (optional) per group
5. Tape per group
6. Cardboard box per group (have available the copier paper boxes used in Getting Hotter?)
7. Equipment to be determined by group

Lesson 6 – Independent Investigation

1. To be determined by groups