Science / Year 5 / Science Understanding / Physical sciences

• TLF-IDL2041

Investigate whether light rays always travel in straight lines. Rotate circular walls, each of which has a single opening. Position the walls so that light from a central bulb can be seen by a person outside the walls. Make shadows by placing a range of objects between a light source and a screen. Position shapes to make ...

• TLF-IDS8333

This sequence of tasks and resources investigates light including how light is absorbed, reflected and refracted. Activities include looking at how a telescope uses light, and how light travelling through, or reflected from, surfaces can create illusions, images and shadows. The interactive resource ‘Optics and images’ ...

• TLF-IDL4153

Find animals on a dark night. Position a mirror to direct a beam of light. Choose a mirror that willl reflect light at a suitable angle. Notice that the light always travels in a straight line. This learning object is one in a series of six objects. Some of the objects are also packaged as two combined learning objects.

• TLF-IDL4155

Light the way for a scribe to see inside a pyramid. Position mirrors to direct a beam of sunlight. Choose mirrors that willl reflect light at a suitable angle. Notice that the light always travels in a straight line. This learning object is one in a series of six objects. Some of the objects are also packaged as two combined ...

• TLF-IDS8361

This resource including student video, provides opportunities for students to observe, explore and form conclusions about the interaction of light with materials which result in shadows and colour. Students will apply understandings of the terms transparent, translucent and opaque to classify materials and suggest an appropriate ...

• TLF-IDL1489

Position lenses to change the direction of light rays and produce images. Predict the properties of an image produced by a lens according to its shape: concave or convex. Position a lens to produce a magnified image of an object. Explore how the curvature of a lens affects focal length and images produced. Produce real ...

• TLF-IDM015816

Why do some things look darker when they're wet, such as sand or clothing, and other things like stainless steel sinks don't? Watch as presenter Bernie Hobbs explains what happens when light hits water and how this influences the appearance of wet objects. This clip includes an animation that demonstrates the way light ...

• TLF-IDM025129

All you need is water, the sky and sunlight and you’ve got something that’s colourful – with a pot of gold at each end. What is it? A rainbow! Find out what happens to sunlight inside a raindrop, why rainbow colours are always in the same order and the real shape of a rainbow. Tip: it’s not an arch!

• TLF-IDL10194

Position lenses and mirrors to change the direction of light rays and produce images. Predict the properties of a reflection produced by a mirror according to its shape: flat, concave or convex. Explore how the distance of an object from a mirror affects the image produced. This learning object is the second in a series ...

• TLF-IDM025127

Can you guess how many sunsets and sunrises an astronaut on the International Space Station sees every 24 hours? Sixteen! Imagine seeing all those spectacular colours so many times a day (even if the view lasts only a few seconds as they zoom by). Find out exactly why sunrises and sunsets are red, orange and golden but ...

• TLF-IDL3056

Align a light source with holes in panels to test the direction that light rays travel. Assemble a spotlight and position its parts to create a range of lighting effects. This learning object is one in a series of two objects. The series is also packaged as a combined learning object.

• TLF-IDL445

Investigate a range of animal eyes: dog, cat, bee, fish, eagle and human. Discover how these animals see things in different ways because their eyes have different structures. For example, look at an animal's field of view, how it focuses and sees colours. Choose eyes with good close-up vision to solve a puzzle and unlock ...

• TLF-IDL3062

Assemble a spotlight and position its parts to create a range of lighting effects. This learning object is one in a series of two objects.

• TLF-IDL10324

Test your understanding of coloured light including the effects of shining a beam of light through a prism, of mixing light and of shining different coloured light on objects. Answer multiple-choice questions and give your reasoning for your answers. Use animations of adding different coloured light from torches to predict ...

• TLF-IDL3082

Examine and compare different types of microscopes: light microscope, transmission electron microscope and scanning electron microscope. Assemble a light microscope and find out how to prepare slides.