Lesson

Title/Focus

Class: Lesson 8 Angle of Reflection

Course

Grade 4 Science

SCIENCE SPECIFIC LEARNER EXPECTATIONS

SLE-4- Demonstrate that light travels outward from a source and continues unless blocked
by an opaque material
SLE-9- Recognize that light can be reflected and that shiny surfaces, such as polished
metals and mirrors, are good reflectors

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)

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

Law of Reflection Practical Activity for Students

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETF2-Zz3J18 Youtube video start at 1:10sec
(total video time 1 min 46 sec)
5 flashlights
5 pieces of black construction paper
4 rolls of Masking tape
4 small mirrors
4 globs of Sticky tack
4 small wood blocks (to hold up the mirrors)
4 rulers
8 pieces of white paper
4 pencils
4 protractors
3-4 hole punches
Reflection Activity Check-list (12 copies)
Reflection Experiment Worksheet (12 copies)
Popsicle sticks for drawing names for groups

PREPARATION AND LOGISTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

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

Welcome Grade 4 Students

Select two students to help handback Mirror, Mirror worksheet for corrections
Have Smart Notebook already open on Slide 8 USB Science 4 Light Sources

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

-Review Smart Notebook slides 6 & 7, ask students what

each of the 5 parts of the eye does
-Review Mirror, Mirror worksheet with students
(Interactive Gizmo from last class)
-Have two student helpers hand back Mirror, Mirror
worksheets for corrections
-Using Smart Notebook Slide 8 (USB-Science 4 Light
Sources) pull up the interactive gizmo for Mirror, Mirror
worksheet
-Go over questions as a class, allow students to make
corrections to their Mirror, Mirror worksheet

15 min

-Ask students to think about how light bounces off an

object before that light can come back to hit you in the eye
-Then ask students do they think that there is a pattern or
certain angle that light will bounce back? Does the light hit
the mirror (Ray of Incidence) and reflect off the mirror
(Ray of Reflection) at the same or at a different angle?
Why?
-Tell students that they will be doing an experiment to test
this, to show them how to set up their experiment they will
watch a short video
-Inform the students that the person who made the video
also has a slight accent, but it should still be easy to
understand him
-The narrator of this film goes fairly quickly through the
experiment, so students should not be talking with their
neighbours during the video
-Point to words on the whiteboard for them to pay attention
to as they watch the video (1 min 46 sec duration)
-After the video, point out the differences that they will
have in their own experiment (flash light vs a flash box,
small block of wood or the wall for holding the mirror up)
-Using the Smart board Protractor-USB Slide 10
demonstrate how to use a protractor to line up on the Back
of Mirror line as well as to measure degrees
-Ask students if they have any questions about the
experiment?

7 min

Whats your
Angle? Checklist & worksheet
Learning
objectives 1, 2, 3,
4, 5 & 6

-Pull popsicle sticks for choosing groups (3 groups of 3, or

2 groups of 3 and one group of 4)
-Have student A get Whats your Angle? Check-list
-Student B can get the bundle of supplies
-Student C can get White paper with lines on it (For
measuring the angles)

25 min

-Students can spread out around the classroom

-Teacher circulates to help groups and ask questions about
what they are finding out (with regards to comparing the
angle of light hitting the mirror to the angle of the light
reflecting off the mirror)
Clean up

-Have students put their supplies on the back table

Closure

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

Review Smart Notebook Slides 6, 7 & Mirror, Mirror Worksheet (Formative,

Learning objectives 1, 2, 3, 5 & 6)
Class Discussion & Slide 9 (Formative, Learning objectives 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6)
Youtube video: Law of Reflection Practical Activity for Students (Formative,
Learning objectives 2, 3 & 6)
Whats your Angle? Check-list & Worksheet (Formative, Learning objectives 1,
2, 3, 4, 5 & 6)
Class Discussion (Formative, Learning objectives 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 &6)

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

Edmonton Public. 1997. Angle of Reflection Activity. Reflection

Thoughts & feelings:

What went well?

What would you do differently?

Name:

Whats your Angle?

Question: Does the light beam strike the mirror and reflect off at a different angle?
Materials:
1. Mirror
2. Black piece of construction paper
3. Hole punch
4. Masking tape
5. Measuring angles worksheet (Blank paper with 4 lines-for tracing light beam)
6. Ruler
7. Protractor
8. Sticky tack
9. Small block of wood
10. White piece of paper with vertical lines
Procedure:
1. Predict whether the angle of incidence is equal to or different than the angle of
reflection.
2. Using the hole punch, punch one hole in the black construction paper (put the paper in
the hole punch as far as it will reach).
3. Make sure flashlights batteries are working.
4. Place the black construction paper over the front of the flashlight, using masking tape to
hold the paper in place.

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.

16. Record your observations on your worksheet.

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:

Whats your Angle?

Question: Does the light beam strike the mirror and reflect off at a different angle?
Prediction: I predict that

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

I think this because

Problems:
1. The Ray of Incidence is

2. The Ray of Reflection is

3. Label the light reflection diagram below

Ray of Reflection
Angle of Reflection

Angle of Incidence
Ray of Incidence

Normal Line
Back of Mirror