Teacher Resources
The Physics Classroom has been devoted to helping students, teachers, and classrooms since the 1990s. We are as passionate about that mission now as we have ever been. If you are a teacher of Physics or Physical Science, we encourage you to use our Video Tutorial with your students. And we also encourage you to consider the use of other resources on our website that coordinate with the video. We have listed a few below to help you get started.
Curriculum Corner, Refraction and Lenses
Our Curriculum Corner section of the website includes a large collection of Think Sheets that make great complements to the video. Each Think Sheet focuses on a single concept and is structured to incrementally guide a student through the concept. They make for great follow-ups to the video, good cooperative group activities, and inclusions in any lesson plan. And if you need source documents (Microsoft Words), extended licensing rights, and solutions, consider the purchase of our low-cost
Solutions Guide download. Here's a Think Sheet that fits the video quite well:
Snell's Law
Calculator Pad, Refraction and Lenses Chapter, Problem Sets RL4 - RL9
If you are looking for guided practice for your students as they use Snell's Law to solve Physics word problems, then you likely going to have difficulty finding a better resource than our Calculator Pad problem sets. Each problem is accompanied by a set of helpful resources that provide guidance on how to approach the problem. Problem Sets RL4 through RL9 have consist of many practice problems of varying degree of difficulty. Numerical information is randomly generated; answers are instantly evaluated; multiple opportunities are provided to get the answers correct.
Minds On Physics, Refraction and Lenses Module, Mission RL4
Student persistence with Minds On Physics, combined with reflective thinking and the use of our Help function, will put any student at the top of the class. This mission pertains to the use of Snell's Law equation.
Physics Interactives, Refraction and Lenses Section, Refraction
Our refraction simulation provides a great environment for students to explore what happens when light reaches the boundary between two materials. Combine the simulation with the use of one of our student activity sheets and the
accompanying Concept Checker and you will have the start of a great lesson plan.
Physics Interactives, Refraction and Lenses Section, Least Time Principle
Our Least Time Principle simulation centers around the classic questiion of what path does the light guard take to reach the drowning swimmer in the least amount of time? Students use a trial and error method to determine the optimal entry point - the point that takes the least amount of time. Once found, the angle of approach and departure from the boundary and reported. Students then relate the angles to the running and the walking speed of the life guard. This is a great inquiry-driven activity.
Concept Builders, Reflection and Refraction Chapter: Law Enforcement - Refraction
Concept Builders will help do what it's name boasts of - build a concept. This Concept Builder may be a student's best next step after the video. They must use information about relative speed, optical density and n value to identify any diagram that displays the wrong direction of bending. They're going to have to think ... and not too many of use Ts will complain about that.
The Physics Classroom Tutorial, Refraction and the Ray Model of Light, Lesson 2, Snell's Law and Ray Tracing
Our written tutorial pages form the basis of most videos. So when a student needs a quick reference, the Tutorial page is a great place to start. This page provides great coverage of the video.