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Demonstrate that light can be reflected, refracted, and absorbed.
Standard #: SC.3.P.10.4
Standard Information
General Information
Subject Area: Science
Grade: 3
Body of Knowledge: Physical Science
Idea: Level 2: Basic Application of Skills & Concepts
Big Idea: Forms of Energy -

A. Energy is involved in all physical processes and is a unifying concept in many areas of science.

B. Energy exists in many forms and has the ability to do work or cause a change.
Date Adopted or Revised: 02/08
Content Complexity Rating: Level 2: Basic Application of Skills & Concepts - More Information
Date of Last Rating: 05/08
Status: State Board Approved
Assessed: Yes
Related Courses
Related Access Points
  • SC.3.P.10.In.3 # Identify that light may come from different sources, such as the Sun or electric lamp.
  • SC.3.P.10.Su.2 # Recognize examples of sources of light, such as the Sun or a flashlight.
  • SC.3.P.10.Pa.2 # Distinguish light and dark.
Related Resources
Lesson Plans
  • Light Spectacle # In this lesson students will investigate light (science standard for third grade) through exploration of light stations. Students will design a product that will allow for light to reflect, refract, and be absorbed in an engineering design challenge titled “Magic Box” that breaks the rule of light traveling in a straight path. Students will design a box that allows for the light to enter the box, will travel through the box and out an exit.
  • Surf's Up Dude! # In this Model-Eliciting Activity (MEA), the students will demonstrate an understanding of how light travels and its ability to reflect, refract, and be absorbed. Hang ten, surfers! Get ready for the Super Surfers surfing competition! They will also work collaboratively to express their opinions, while considering those of their peers. Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought processes. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEAs visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx
  • Light the Way # Students will learn about some of the behaviors of light, specifically refraction, through a video, a kinesthetic activity and summarizing informational text. Students will be able explain what causes a shadow by understanding the way light travels as well as explain refraction of light. This lesson can be completed in two 40 minute time periods or over two days.
  • Lighthouses and Lenses - An Engineering Design Challenge # This Engineering Design Challenge is intended to help students apply the concepts of force , the concept of wind energy, and practice working with a budget as they build structures to withstand the force of high-speed winds. The first day's lesson also provides practice in recognizing and drawing shapes. It is not intended as an initial introduction to these concepts.
  • How Light Moves # Students are fascinated with light. In this lesson plan, students investigate some of the properties of how light is propagated, and using observations from simple experiments, test their predictions about the paths that light takes with different materials.
  • Solar S’ mores # This lesson plan covers the concept that energy from the sun reaches Earth in the form of heat and light. It incorporates concepts from Earth and Physical Science.
Teaching Ideas
  • Mirror, Mirror On the Wall: Angles of Reflection # In this activity, students are challenged to put a mirror on the wall, cover it, and find locations where they think they can see each other in the mirror. Through the activity, students find that light reflects at an equal angle as it arrives. Students then can explore a Java applet that demonstrates that the angle at which light is reflected is equal to the angle at which it arrives.
  • Solar Matters I: Solar Energy and Color # In this activity, a black bottle, white bottle, and balloons are used to demonstrate the effect that color has on the amount of solar thermal energy absorbed (potentially inflating the balloon). With this understanding, students will color a picture (included) in colors that will absorb less and/or more solar energy.
Unit/Lesson Sequence
  • Light Energy # In this unit, students first explore the different forms of energy using their senses. In the next two lessons, emphasis is placed on light energy and how light interacts with other objects.
Virtual Manipulative
  • Star Light Star Bright # Star Light, Star Bright explores the nature of the electromagnetic spectrum. In a series of four mini-lessons, the different properties of waves and the relationship that exists between energy, wavelength, and frequency will be covered. Activities are "Catch the Waves", "Making Waves", "Heating Up", and "Stellar Encounters." Be sure to view the brain teasers and light facts on each page.
STEM Lessons - Model Eliciting Activity
  • Surf's Up Dude! # In this Model-Eliciting Activity (MEA), the students will demonstrate an understanding of how light travels and its ability to reflect, refract, and be absorbed. Hang ten, surfers! Get ready for the Super Surfers surfing competition! They will also work collaboratively to express their opinions, while considering those of their peers. Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought processes. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEAs visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx
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