Thread by @IdolScribblings

#ScienceLessonAtHome of the day.

Rainbow Spinner

I have seen some fantastic rainbow pictures in children's windows on our street. Great work!

Whilst you have the colouring pens out, there is a nifty science experiment we can do.

You will need:

✅Thin card
✅White paper
✅ Colouring pens / pencils / crayons
✅ Something round to draw round (large glass or small bowl)
✅ Ruler
✅Sharp pencil
✅Glue (e.g. Prit-stick)
✅Scissors
✅ 1m string or strong thread / yarn

1. Using your glass bowl to draw around, draw one circle on the card, and two on the white paper.

2. Use your ruler to divide the two white paper circles into seven equal segments.

3. Colour one segment of each paper circle in red, one orange, one yellow, one green, one blue, one indigo and one violet.

Go for strong shades of each colour, and make sure each segment is thoroughly coloured in.

4. Now carefully cut out all your circles.

5. Glue one coloured in paper circle to each side of your card circle.

(Make sure the coloured sides face outward. I had a pupil make that mistake once)

6. Using the sharp pencil, help your child to make two holes, in the disc. They need to be 2cm out from the centre point on either side (at 180° to each other). Measure carefully to make sure the distance is equal.

7. Thread the string through both holes and tie it to make a loop.

8. Place your hands through either side of the loop with the disc between them.
Twist the disc lots of times to wind up the string.

9. Now release the disc whilst moving your hands slowly apart. It will spin.

10. When the disc is almost unwound, start moving your hands slowly back towards each other again. The disc will change direction and the string will wind up again. Repeat to keep your disc spinning. You may need to practice a little to get the hang of it.

11. Look at what is happening to the colours on the disc.

The Science at Work

White light is made up of a mixture of seven colours of light. In a rainbow, water droplets REFRACT white light. This splits the light up into it's constituent colours.

An effect called PERSISTENCE OF VISION means that when we look at our spinning disc, we see all of the seven colours on it at the same time.

This has the effect of mixing the colours back together again. The spinning disc should appear to go white (or at least very pale).

Key Points:
✅White light is made of 7 colours of light.
✅ Prisms and water drops can REFRACT white light to split it into the colours.
✅The colours of the spectrum in order (ROYGBIV)

Key Stage 4

Thet should learn that light is a kind of ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVE. Different colours of light have slightly different WAVELENGTHS.

Why not make a wall banner of the electromagnetic spectrum from Radio Waves to Gamma? Show the wavelength of each type and some uses.

KS4 students should be familiar with this model of how a prism works.

KS4 students can also research why PERSISTENCE OF VISION happens. This will help them learn about the structure of the eye and how it works.

Extension

- If you get some sunshine. Why not go in the garden and have a go at making a rainbow in the mist from a garden hose.

- Find out about Isaac Newton and his discoveries about light.

- Make up your own rhyme or mnemonic to remember the colours of the spectrum.

Have fun everyone.
Don't forget to @ me at tell me how it went!

Need some additional 1:1 support for your child? By request I am offering 1/2 hour video call science lessons for £12. Including a pack if activities to keep them busy for several hours. DM me to arrange.