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Reflection and Mirrors

The lesson plans below include links to the specific resources on our website.

Teacher Guides for labs can be found here.

NOTE: All CalcPad problem sets are customized problem sets created specifically for this course. The links direct users to the Guest version. Task Tracker users should use the link on the Task Tracker page to the trackable CalcPad version.



Lesson Plans || Learning Outcomes and Activities || Teacher Notes || Labs


 

Day 1 of Reflection and Mirrors

Lesson Plan
  1. Introduction to unit
  2. Lab 1 Reflection Lab
    Do and post-lab
  3. Discuss Law of reflection and terminology (normal, incident/reflected rays, angles of incidence/reflection)
  4. Hands-on activity: Firing My Laser Challenge (Target Cards)

Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Reflection and the Ray Model of Light: Lesson 1, Parts a - c
  2. Minds On Physics: Mission RM1 on Law of Reflection
  3. If more practice is needed, try Light Reflection Think Sheet


 

Day 2 of Reflection and Mirrors

Lesson Plan
  1. Lab 2 - Plane Mirror Image Lab
    Do and post-lab; discuss what an image is and how an image is formed; animation
  2. Individual/Guided: Image Formation and Characteristics Think Sheet
  3. Draw your first ray diagram to show how light travels from object to mirror to eye as you sight at an image.
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Reflection and the Ray Model of Light: Lesson 2, Parts a-c
  2. Minds On Physics: Mission RM2 on Plane Mirror Images


 

Day 3 of Reflection and Mirrors

Lesson Plan
  1. Individual/Guided: Ray Diagrams (Honors) Think Sheet #1-13
  2. Lab 3 - What Portion ... ?
    Do and post-lab; collect and compare class data; draw conclusion
  3. Physics Interactives: Plane Mirror Images
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Reflection and the Ray Model of Light: Lesson 2, Part d
  2. Finish Physics Interactives: Plane Mirror Images


 

Day 4 of Reflection and Mirrors

Lesson Plan
  1. Physics Interactives: Who Can See Who? with Concept Checker
    Do and process; then complete Concept Checker
  2. Guided/Individual/Pair Practice: Who Can See Who? (Honors) Think Sheet
  3. If time allows, start Concept Builder: Who Can See Who?
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Reflection and the Ray Model of Light: Lesson 1, Part d
  2. Concept Builder: Who Can See Who?


 

Day 5 of Reflection and Mirrors

Lesson Plan
  1. Discuss diffuse vs. specular reflection; demonstrations; use Specular (Regular) verses Diffuse Reflection Think Sheet
  2. Lab Test: Improving Your Image
  3. Start Curved Mirrors
    Discuss concave vs. convex, terminology (principal axis, focal point, center of curvature, f, and R); rules of reflection; Spherical Mirrors Think Sheet #1-5
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Reflection and the Ray Model of Light: Lesson 3, Parts a - c
  2. Minds On Physics: Mission RM4 on Regular vs. Diffuse Reflection


 

Day 6 of Reflection and Mirrors

Lesson Plan
  1. Lab 4: Exploring Curved Mirrors
    Quick observations and recording; post-lab patterns for when the image is upright/inverted and magnified/reduced
  2. Review and complete Spherical Mirrors Think Sheet
  3. Physics Interactives: Concave Mirror Image Formation (as a demonstration)
  4. Lab 5: Finding Smiley
    Do and post-lab
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Reflection and the Ray Model of Light: Lesson 3, Parts d-e


 

Day 7 of Reflection and Mirrors

Lesson Plan
  1. Review Finding Smiley Lab
  2. Physics Interactives: Optics Bench - Mirrors with Student Activity Sheet
    Do and process
  3. Ray Diagrams for Concave Mirrors Think Sheet
  4. Concept Checker: Optics Bench - Mirrors
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Reflection and the Ray Model of Light: Lesson 3, Parts d-e
  2. Minds On Physics: Mission RM6 on Concave Mirror Images


 

Day 8 of Reflection and Mirrors

Lesson Plan
  1. Discuss Convex Mirrors - image formation (demonstration); rules of reflection; nature of images
  2. Guided/Individual: Ray Diagrams for Convex Mirrors Think Sheet
  3. Concept Builder: The Lost Art of Image Description (Curved Mirrors)
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Reflection and the Ray Model of Light: Lesson 4, Parts a-c
  2. Minds On Physics: Mission RM9 on Convex Mirror Images



 

Day 9 of Reflection and Mirrors

Lesson Plan
  1. Discuss mirror equation and magnification ratio; sign conventions; use in problem-solving
  2. Object-Image Relations Think Sheet Q#1
  3. Selected problems from Mirror Equation Problems (Honors) Think Sheet
  4. Physics Interactives: Name That Image
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Reflection and the Ray Model of Light: Lesson 3, Part f
  2. Reading: Physics Classroom Tutorial, Reflection and the Ray Model of Light: Lesson 4, Part d
  3. CalcPad - Reflection & Mirrors 1: Mirror Equation



 

Day 10 of Reflection and Mirrors

Lesson Plan
  1. Pair Practice: Object-Image Relations Think Sheet Q#2-3
  2. Mirror Equation Problems (Honors) Think Sheet (selected Qs)
  3. Lab 6 Magnification Ratio
    Do and process

Homework/Announcements
  1. CalcPad - Reflection & Mirrors 2: Mirror Equation



 

Day 11 of Reflection and Mirrors

Lesson Plan
  1. Mirror Equation Problems (Honors) Think Sheet (selected Qs)
  2. CalcPad - Reflection & Mirrors 3: Mirror Equation
  3. Review for Test
 
Homework/Announcements
  1. Prepare for Tomorrow's Test
  2. Complete all unfinished work















 
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