Hands-On Optics: Making an Impact with Light is a comprehensive, ready-to-use collection of six classroom modules on optics (see module listing below). The kit comes packaged with a How to Manual and everything you need to use with 20 to 30 students for all six modules. All materials are reusable. The manual is full of activities and teaching ideas. In addition, a companion resource, Scope It Out! An Optics Activity and Resource Notebook, is available to all program leaders. Designed for educators, optics professionals, and others who want to expand the optics they teach, the resource notebook also contains a host of resource lists on a wide range of optics topics and optics background materials.

HOO modules are frequently updated to reflect comments from educators and volunteers and feedback from additional testing. We welcome your .

You can download a summary of the activities in each module below. We have also included a sample activity from each module you can preview. The complete modules are available for purchase from Science First

Module 1: Laser Challenges

• Introduction to laser safety
• Bouncing ball/mirror
• Mirror on the wall
• Milky water demos and focal points
• Protractor, angles, and law of reflection
• Hit the target (using a red laser pointer)

Module 2: Kaleidoscopic Adventures

• Concept of retro-reflection with hinged mirrors
• Reflective symmetry using mirrors
• Changing orientation of reflected images
• Kaleidoscope construction

Module 3: Magnificent Magnifications

• How lenses work: light through a glass block
• Three lasers converging on a focal point
• Finding the focal length of a lens
• Simple magnifiers
• Building a refractive telescope

Module 4: Peculiar Polarizations

• What is polarization?
• Polarization by refelction
• Optically active materials
• Cellophane, stress testing polarization challenges

Module 5: Ultraviolet and Infrared Light

• The Nature of Waves
• Models of infrared and ultraviolet light
• Experiments with an infrared thermometer
• Ultraviolet sensitive beads
• The Essence of Luminescence

Module 6: Communicating Over a Beam of Light

• Coherent and incoherent light
• Morse Code
• Communication over a beam of light
• Laser Communication Challenge

Sample Activities

• Hit the Target—uses skills from previous activities—measuring and the law of reflection—to hit a target with a laser by strategically placing mirrors.
• Reflections Activity—uses the letter R, which is neither horizontally nor vertically symmetric, to teach how images are reflected.
• Three Lasers Converging at a Focal Point: A Demonstration—uses a positive lens to bend parallel laser beams to learn about focal length and focal points.
• I'm Under a Lot of Stress, Here—Use polarizing filters and plastic utensils to analyze stress.
• Fun With the Sun: A Demonstration—Use ultraviolet sensitive beads to illustrate the properties of sunlight.
• Laser Light: A Kinesthetic Activity—In this unique activity, students simulate different types of light while walking around the room.

In Their Own Words