Christopher Reeves

EDU 580
Lesson Plan
1.0) Lesson Objectives
1.1) Content Area:
Students will be able to recognize how light reacts upon crossing a barrier or changing
medium. Students will use Snells Law (n1v1=n2v2) to calculate either the index of refraction
of velocity of light in a medium given the other three variables. Finally, students will create a
graph to demonstrate the relationship given in Snells Law.

1.1)1. Content Area Standard :
4.3h when a wave strikes a boundary between two media, reflection, transmission,and
absorption occur. A transmitted wave may be refracted.
4.3i when a wave moves from one medium into another, the wave may refract due to
achange in speed. The angle of refraction (measured with respect to the normal)
dependson the angle of incidence and the properties of the media (indices of
refraction).
4.3j the absolute index of refraction is inversely proportional to the speed of a wave.

1.2) Technology:
Students will use an online simulator to model the way light act when it changes medium.
Students will later create a graph in excel, from calculated data. The graph will serve as a
visual representation of the relationship in Snells Law

1.2)1. Technology Standard

1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity: Teachers use their knowledge
of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that
advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual
environments. Teachers:
a. Promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness.
b.
Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital
tools and resources.
c.
Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual
understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes.
d.
Model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues,
and others in face-to-face and virtual environments.
2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments: Teachers
design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessment
incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in
context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETSS.
Teachers:
Christopher Reeves
EDU 580
Lesson Plan
a.
Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to
promote student learning and creativity.
b.
Develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their
individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals,
managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress.
c.
Customize and personalize learning activities to address students' diverse learning styles,
working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources.
d.
Provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with
content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching.
3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning: Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work
processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society.
Teachers:
a.
Demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new
technologies and situations.
b.
Collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and
resources to support student success and innovation.
c.
Communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using
a variety of digital-age media and formats.
d.
model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze,
evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning.
4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility: Teachers understand
local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and
exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices. Teachers:
a.
Advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology,
including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of
sources.
b.
Address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies providing
equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources.
c.
Promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of
technology and information.
d.
Develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues
and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools.

2.0) Introduce the Learning Activities:
Upon entering the class student will be provided with a sampling of review questions to checking
the understanding of the previous days lesson on the nature and bending of light.
Christopher Reeves
EDU 580
Lesson Plan

1. When light passes from a more optically dense medium into a less optically dense medium, it
will bend _______ (towards, away from) the normal.
2. When light passes from a medium with a low index of refraction value into a medium with a
high index of refraction value, it will bend _______ (towards, away from) the normal.
3. Which angle is the angle of incidence? Which is the angle of refraction?
The teacher will use additional real-world applications of refraction (straw in a drink, fish in water,
rainbow) to re-illustrate the concepts.
The teacher will then explain that the degree which light bends in a material is represented by that
materials index of refraction (n).


3.0) Provide Information
The teacher will then introduce Snells Law which states:

The teacher will explain to students that the formula can be manipulated to find an unknown
value.
The teacher will have students log on to the classroom website in order to access a refraction
simulation on PhET. This is most easily done by fallowing these instructions:
http://student.plattsburgh.edu/creev001/ --- Resources (on the left) --- PhET Simulations ---
Bending Light (Left column, third down) --- Run Now
As students experiment with the simulation the teacher will circulate the room and explain that
as light enters a medium with a higher index of refraction, the light slows and bends toward the
normal line. The teacher will also have students adjust the simulation so that the light travels to
a material with a lower index of refraction, allowing students to see that this would cause light
to speed up and bend away from the normal line.

4.0) Provide Practice:

A few examples will be done as a class;
Given: n incidence = 1.00 n refraction = 1.33 inciuence = 45 degrees
Find: iefiaction

Light travels from air into an optical fiber with an index of refraction of 1.44. (a) In which direction
does the light bend? (b) If the angle of incidence on the end of the fiber is 22
o
, what is the angle of
refraction inside the fiber?

Light traveling through the same optical fiber (n=1.44) reaches the end of the fiber and exits into air.
If the angle of incidence on the end of the fiber is 30
o
, what is the angle of refraction outside the
fiber?
Christopher Reeves
EDU 580
Lesson Plan

A laser beam is incident at an angle of30.0 to the vertical onto a solution of corn syrup in water.
Ifthe beam is refracted to 19.24 to the vertical, what isthe index of refraction of the syrup solution?

Using the Simulation with the protractor tool students will be able to check their answers and see
the way which light would behave in real life as it travels through various mediums.

Students will then be told to find the index of refraction for Mystery Material A and B. For each
material, one student will be asked to go to the board and share their work and answer with the
class.

Students will then pair up and open an excel spreadsheet and complete the Snells Law Graphing
Activity Instructions for this activity are provided on the attached sheet which will be passed out to
students. If for some reason computers are not accessible, students can complete the activity using
a calculator, ruler, and graph paper.


5.0) Knowledge of Results:
Throughout the lesson students will be given multiple opportunities to demonstrate their
understanding of the content. During the opening set review the class will collectively discuss past
learning to provide the teacher with evidence of student understanding. While using the simulation
the teacher will ask for volunteers to answer the questions involving Snells Law. The teacher will
also circulate the room to see the answers of students who do not speak out. Students will be able
to demonstrate individual understanding of both content and use of the simulator as they use the
Bending Light activity to answer questions. Students will work in pairs to complete the graphing
activity. Through the work they complete the teacher will be able to judge the pairs ability to use
the simulation and spreadsheet program while also incorporating Snells Law. The groups short
written response to the activity will also serve as evidence of their understanding of the content.
Students will also hand in an exit slip which will review the days learning. The teacher will be able to
gauge students comprehension of the material through their answers.

6.0) Review the Activity:
As the class period comes to a close the teacher will redirect student attention. A class discussion
about the graphing activity will highlight aspects which the students liked and felt were beneficial
along with parts which could be improved upon with suggestions for next time. Students will be
given an exit slip (attached) which reviews the days content. Students must complete and hand in
this slip before leaving class for the day.

7.0) Method of Assessment:
7.1) Content:
Students will be required to calculate data using the Snells Law formula which was taught
during the lesson. At the end of the lesson students will turn in their data along with
calculation that used to arrive at their answers. The teacher will then be able to assess each
students understanding of the concept and application through the responses received.
7.2) Technology:
Students will use the online simulator to reinforce the concept and assist with calculating
values. After using the simulator students will create a graph of calculated data to further
Christopher Reeves
EDU 580
Lesson Plan
strengthen their knowledge of the relationships given by Snells Law. Students will attach a
copy of the graph with the calculations they hand in. The teacher can then check for
understanding by assessing the precision and accuracy of a students graph.


Christopher Reeves
EDU 580
Lesson Plan
Snells Law Graphing Activity
1. Using the PhET Bending Light simulation, set material 1 to air and material 2 to water.
2. Place the protractor on the normal line and turn on the laser.
3. Open an Excel spreadsheet.
4. Return to the simulation. Move the laser from 0 to 80, in increments of ten. At each stop
record the angle of incidence and angle of refraction on the excel spreadsheet.
5. In the spreadsheet record the sin for each angle you recorded for both incidence and refraction.
This can be done by hand or by creating a formula.
6. Create a scatter graph plotting Sin (incidence) on the Y axis and Sin (refraction) on the X axis.
7. Create a best fit line for the data you plotted. What can you conclude about the slop of the line?
8. Make sure the graph is labeled properly. On this sheet write a few sentences about the graph
you created and how it relates or supports Snells Law. Attach a copy of your graph and hand in
both sheets when finished.

Christopher Reeves
EDU 580
Lesson Plan
Exit Slip


The angle of incidence and the angle of refraction for light
going from air into a material with a higher index of
refraction are 66.1 degrees and 42.2 degrees,
respectively.

What is the index of refraction of this material?
What is the material?