Q:  How can we get the artwork on all four sides of a tomb to be illuminated with intense light? 

A:  With a lighting system, of course!

Third graders are working hard on improving their lighting system designs.  Even though we know that light travels in straight lines and that the shorter the distance light travels the more intense it is, getting it to exactly where we need it to be can be a daunting task!  With enough patience and perseverance, each piece of artwork will be illuminated with intense light!  

Before students will create a lighting system to light up a tomb with one light source, they will spend time imagining solutions independently and then plan out a design as a team.  Using teamwork and limited materials, their goal will be to light as much of the artwork inside with intense light.  Artwork is located on all four walls of the model tomb.  Here you see students spending time discussing their plans.  "Where should we put the mirrors?  What sizes should we use?  How will we get the artwork near the top of the tomb lit?"  Great conversations third grade!

Using a variety of materials, third graders are seeing how light can do all sorts of things!  Light can...

Absorb, diffract, reflect, refract and transmit!

We're becoming experts on light in preparation to design a lighting system for a darkened tomb.  Third graders have also spent time focusing on providing evidence in order to make a claim.  Evidence justifies our reasoning and provides scientific proof!  

In the photo on the left, the black paper absorbs some of the light as seen by the shadow on Wall #1.  The holes allow the light to transmit through the paper and then diffract, making larger circles of light appear on Wall #1.  

Sing our "Light Does WHAT?!?!" Song!  Read the lyrics below!

Light is a type of kinetic energy.  It travels in straight lines and it moves faster than anything else we know.  (A few third graders even tried to beat light in a race and they couldn't win!)

Light also interacts with materials in different ways.  Sometimes, light may travel through a material.  This is called transmission.  For example, light transmits through transparent glass.  Light can also be absorbed by a material, like a wooden door.  Light may also transmit through a material but change speed or direction, like in a prism.  When light changes direction, this is called refraction. 

Third graders are spending time investigating all the different properties of light and the properties of materials that allow light to interact with it differently.  These investigations are preparing students to design their own lighting system for a tomb!  How enlightening!  Ha!

We've started our unit on optical engineering by meeting Omar in Egypt.  Omar is troubled by the fact that he is not the lead in his school's play.  Always a part of the background, he feels camouflaged into the less important parts of the play.

Everything changes when there is a brownout that causes a loss of electricity.  The entire lighting system for the play goes down.  Using what he knows about light, its properties, and how different materials react with light, Omar just may solve the problem using the engineering design process.  Can he actually become a standout in the play?

Key Vocabulary:  optical engineer, system, reflect, absorb, intensity, refract, diffract, engineering design process