Light imitates art
View Sequence overviewStudents will:
- design, and potentially create, an artwork that features reflection or refraction of light, shadows, and different colours.
- explain the aspects of light they have utilised or manipulated to create their artwork.
Students will represent their understanding as they:
- draw diagrams of their designed artwork.
- label the source of light, the direction light travels, and the shadows formed in these diagrams.
- communicate their understanding of how light was used and manipulated in their design.
In this lesson, assessment is summative.
Students working at the achievement standard should have:
- demonstrated an understanding that light needs a source. Evidence might include:
- drawings of light travelling in a straight line (with arrows).
- labelled diagrams identifying how shadows are formed.
- labelled diagrams of light being reflected.
- labelled diagrams of light being refracted.
- labelled diagrams of coloured light being combined to form white light.
- described how individuals and communities use scientific knowledge.
Refer to the Australian Curriculum content links on the Our design decisions tab for further information.
Whole class
Class science journal (digital or hard-copy)
Optional: Demonstration copy of the Creatively light Resource sheet
Each student
Individual science journal (digital or hard-copy)
Various sources of light suitable to use in a classroom
Various transparent, translucent or opaque materials
Other materials as required to design/build a light sculpture/artwork such as glue, sticky tape, blu-tac, scissors etc.
Lesson
The Act phase empowers students to use the Core concepts and key ideas of science they have learned during the Inquire phase. It encourages students to develop a sense of responsibility as members of society—to act rather than be acted upon. It provides students with the opportunity to positively influence their own life and that of the world around them. For this to occur, students need to build foundational skills in an interactive mutually supportive environment with their community.
When designing the Act phase, consider ways that students could use their scientific knowledge and skills. Consider their interests and lifestyles that may intersect with the core concepts and key ideas. What context or problem would provide students with a way to use science to synthesise a design? How (and to whom) will students communicate their understanding?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkScience education consists of a series of key ideas and core concepts that can explain objects, events and phenomena and link them to the experiences encountered by students in their lives. The purpose of the Anchor routine is to identify and link students’ learning to these ideas and concepts in a way that builds and deepens their understanding.
When designing the Act phase of a teaching sequence, consider the core concepts and key ideas that are relevant. The Anchor routine provides an opportunity to collate and revise the key knowledge and skills students have learned, in a way that emphasises the importance of science as a human endeavour.
What have we learned?
Review the learning that has occurred over the course of the sequence using the class science journal, including concepts relating to:
- sources of light
- how light helps us to see
- shadows
- how light interacts with translucent, transparent and opaque materials
- refraction
- light and colours
The Act phase empowers students to use the Core concepts and key ideas of science they have learned during the Inquire phase. It encourages students to develop a sense of responsibility as members of society—to act rather than be acted upon. It provides students with the opportunity to positively influence their own life and that of the world around them. For this to occur, students need to build foundational skills in an interactive mutually supportive environment with their community.
When designing the Act phase, consider ways that students could use their scientific knowledge and skills. Consider their interests and lifestyles that may intersect with the core concepts and key ideas. What context or problem would provide students with a way to use science to synthesise a design? How (and to whom) will students communicate their understanding?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkEach student comes to the classroom with experiences made up from science-related knowledge, attitudes, experiences and resources in their life. The Connect routine is designed to tap into these experiences, and that of their wider community. It is also an opportunity to yarn with community leaders (where appropriate) to gain an understanding of the student’s lives, languages and interests. In the Act phase, this routine reconnects with the science capital of students so students can appreciate the relevance of their learning and the agency to make decisions and take action.
When designing a teaching sequence, consider the everyday occurrences, phenomena and experiences that might relate to the science that they have learned. How could students show agency in these areas?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkSculpture review
Review the light sculptures/artworks that students viewed in Lesson 1, either by viewing the Creatively light Resource sheet, or the collection of images selected for your specific context.
Discuss how these sculptures have been created, and how light has been utilized in each, particularly in light of what students have learned over the course of the sequence.
The Act phase empowers students to use the Core concepts and key ideas of science they have learned during the Inquire phase. It encourages students to develop a sense of responsibility as members of society—to act rather than be acted upon. It provides students with the opportunity to positively influence their own life and that of the world around them. For this to occur, students need to build foundational skills in an interactive mutually supportive environment with their community.
When designing the Act phase, consider ways that students could use their scientific knowledge and skills. Consider their interests and lifestyles that may intersect with the core concepts and key ideas. What context or problem would provide students with a way to use science to synthesise a design? How (and to whom) will students communicate their understanding?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkWhen students use their knowledge and skills in new ways, they also have an opportunity to develop and use their creative and critical thinking skills. With scaffolded support, they can become more confident to work in a team and develop a stronger sense of autonomy. This results in stronger student outcomes, attitudes and sense of empowerment.
When designing a teaching sequence, consider what activity would allow students to showcase their knowledge and skills. Consider the current abilities of your students. What are they capable of explaining? What props could they design or build that would support their explanations? How much information would they need in their design brief to support their thinking? How does this connect with their lives and interests?
Designing/making a sculpture/artwork
Students will design, and potentially create, an artwork that utilises light and the aspects students have learned during the course of the sequence.
Define
Outline the task in a simple manner such as:
How can we design a piece of art that utilises/manipulates light coming from a source that an audience would enjoy looking at?
Ideate
Brainstorm ideas related to the design of the artwork.
At this stage, to support creative thinking, every idea offered by students should be recorded in the class science journal. No idea is discounted, as the practicality/possibility of each idea will be considered later.
As students offer ideas, ask probing questions (What aspect of light that we have learned about are you utilising there? or How does that rely on light?) to draw out how students are applying their understanding of the aspects of light they have learned about.
Determine the criteria for how students’ light sculptures might demonstrate the scientific concepts explored during the sequence. For example:
- Shadows of different lengths, shapes and sizes are created by varying the distance from and angle of the light source.
- The direction that light is travelling in changed by the use of reflective surfaces.
- Light is diffused through translucent materials.
- Light travels through transparent material.
- Light travels through a coloured transparent material, blocking some coloured wavelengths, and allowing others.
Prototype
Determine if students are going to build prototypes of their sculptures, or simply design them.
If students build a prototype this will influence what they are able to design, as they need to be able to replicate it in a classroom environment. However, it could be helpful if students still need to consolidate their understanding and test ideas as they are creating.
Designing the sculpture only imposes fewer limitations, but can be more challenging as students are required to express their understanding in an abstract manner. Teacher judgement should be used to determine which approach is best for your students.
You might also consider designing a combined sculpture, with an accompanying proposal to the school community, principal or parent organisation advocating for its construction.
Allow teams/students time to design/build their artworks.
All works should require at least an accompanying labelled diagram identifying the main source of light, its location/s, the direction/s the light is travelling in, as well as any changes in direction of light, shadows formed, any refraction of light, or use of colour.
Students might also include an explanation of how they manipulated shadows, colours, or utilised different transparent materials in their artworks.
Optional: Students/teams are provided opportunities to share their ideas and receive peer feedback (download AITSL's guide for more on peer feedback).
Supporting creative thinking and ideation
How might you encourage and support creative thinking?
Thinking creatively is a skill that can be taught in the classroom. One of the key aspects is to encourage students to initially suspend any judgement as they list as many ideas as possible (usually on separate pieces of paper or sticky notes). It is the number of ideas that are important. Generating multiple ideas that will be later filtered is a common process for designers. The second stage is to group those ideas into clusters according to their similarity. These could be images, light shows or shadow sculptures, etc. Once this has been completed, students should identify what their audience may prefer and use evidence to support their ideas.
By asking students to link their ideas with the evidence they have collected, they will begin to think about the reasoning behind their ideas. This, in turn, supports them to think critically later on, when formulating criteria for design, and when making decisions about their designs.
Thinking creatively is a skill that can be taught in the classroom. One of the key aspects is to encourage students to initially suspend any judgement as they list as many ideas as possible (usually on separate pieces of paper or sticky notes). It is the number of ideas that are important. Generating multiple ideas that will be later filtered is a common process for designers. The second stage is to group those ideas into clusters according to their similarity. These could be images, light shows or shadow sculptures, etc. Once this has been completed, students should identify what their audience may prefer and use evidence to support their ideas.
By asking students to link their ideas with the evidence they have collected, they will begin to think about the reasoning behind their ideas. This, in turn, supports them to think critically later on, when formulating criteria for design, and when making decisions about their designs.
Developing a prototype
What are the advantages of building a prototype?
A prototype can be anything that is used to put an idea into action by experimenting with ideas and modifying and adapting the approach. It can involve sketches of a model, a storyboard, or a 3D construction.
It is important to build more than one prototype. The first prototype should be produced quickly and cheaply to test the initial concept. Simple materials can be used to outline or build the general idea that can be filled in at a later stage (after testing and feedback).
Knowing that it is not the final prototype allows ideas to be held lightly and easily discarded if the prototype does not receive good feedback from the user. Opportunities to address assumptions and alternative concepts occur when modifying the second and third prototypes.
Collecting the multiple prototypes allows them to be used for reflection during the design cycle's sharing stage.
A prototype can be anything that is used to put an idea into action by experimenting with ideas and modifying and adapting the approach. It can involve sketches of a model, a storyboard, or a 3D construction.
It is important to build more than one prototype. The first prototype should be produced quickly and cheaply to test the initial concept. Simple materials can be used to outline or build the general idea that can be filled in at a later stage (after testing and feedback).
Knowing that it is not the final prototype allows ideas to be held lightly and easily discarded if the prototype does not receive good feedback from the user. Opportunities to address assumptions and alternative concepts occur when modifying the second and third prototypes.
Collecting the multiple prototypes allows them to be used for reflection during the design cycle's sharing stage.
The Act phase empowers students to use the Core concepts and key ideas of science they have learned during the Inquire phase. It encourages students to develop a sense of responsibility as members of society—to act rather than be acted upon. It provides students with the opportunity to positively influence their own life and that of the world around them. For this to occur, students need to build foundational skills in an interactive mutually supportive environment with their community.
When designing the Act phase, consider ways that students could use their scientific knowledge and skills. Consider their interests and lifestyles that may intersect with the core concepts and key ideas. What context or problem would provide students with a way to use science to synthesise a design? How (and to whom) will students communicate their understanding?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkA key part of Science Inquiry, the Communicate routine provides students with an opportunity to communicate their ideas effectively to others. It allows students a chance to show their learning to members of their community and provides a sense of belonging. It also encourages students to have a sense of responsibility to share their understanding of science and to use this to provide a positive influence in the community.
When designing a teaching sequence, consider who might be connected to the students that have an interest in science. Who in their lives could share their learning? What forum could be used to build an enthusiasm for science. Are there members of the community (parents, teachers, peers or wider community) who would provide a link to future science careers?
Read more about using the LIA FrameworkSharing designs
Test and share
Students share their artworks with a chosen audience. The audience may include other students in the school, an evening art/science fair, or a local artist.
You might consider using the CROWN tool to support students in this.
Students should be encouraged to prepare questions to ask this audience that tests the possibility of their design, for example if talking to a local artist they might ask questions about cost, space and safety.
They should also be prepared for any possible questions the audience may ask them about how they created the work, the science concepts on display, or how they felt about it.
Reflect on the sequence
You might:
- refer to the list of student questions asked in Lesson 1. Determine which questions have been answered over the course of the learning sequence, what the ‘answers’ to the questions are, and the evidence that supports these claims. Address questions that have not been answered during the learning sequence, discuss why they might not have been addresses and potential investigations that might support students to answer them.
- review students’ responses to the My thoughts and/or In the dark activities completed in Lesson 1, comparing students’ initial ideas to what they think now and considering how their thinking has changed.
- consider what students have learnt about light.
- ask students to represent this learning in words, symbols and pictures.
- discuss why it’s important to have a good understanding of light transfer: what kinds of jobs would require you to understand this? What about in your everyday life? What tasks that you do around the house involve light transfer? What activities might be affected?
Testing prototypes
How does testing prototypes support feedback?
The testing of a prototype allows students to receive feedback on their prototype and to gain a greater understanding of the user. Alternative testing methods must be considered and evaluated to justify the designed prototype's effectiveness.
Following testing and feedback, students should be encouraged to cycle back to the empathy or prototype stage.
The testing of a prototype allows students to receive feedback on their prototype and to gain a greater understanding of the user. Alternative testing methods must be considered and evaluated to justify the designed prototype's effectiveness.
Following testing and feedback, students should be encouraged to cycle back to the empathy or prototype stage.