OpenSciEd Unit 6.1 · Lesson 06 · 6.A
Look for: the shape and transparency of the lens of the…
From Teacher Edition
Facilitation guidance from the lesson plan — what to notice in student thinking and how to respond while teaching.
Building towards
6.A Ask questions to model the path of light as it travels through the lens of the eye, and to explain how the shape and composition of the lens causes the path of light to change directions (bend or refract) before hitting the retina at the back of the eye.
What to look / listen for
As students share what they have figured out about light that transmits through the lens of the human eye and draw tentative conclusions about what happens when light enters the music students’ eyes, listen for students to share that:
the shape and transparency of the lens of the human eye causes light to change direction (refract), and
the refracted light is focused to a point on the retina at the back of the eye.
What to do
If students do not describe the lens of the human eye and how it refracts light and focuses it on the retina, you can surface that information in a number of ways:
- Ask students what we learned as we investigated how light interacts with the magnifying glass.
- Point to the class model and ask students to describe the role of the lens in processing the light that enters the eyes.
- Ask students to describe the similarities between the lens of the magnifying glass and the lens of the eye, and explain why those similarities were important to think about as we tried to figure out what happens to light when it enters the music student’s eyes.
- In addition, students will have opportunities to revisit these ideas if you choose to use the additional refraction activities in Extension Opportunity: Refraction of Light Activities.