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Reflection and Mirrors

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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


 

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 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? 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 vs. 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 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 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 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