Rainbows are always a fun topic to learn about. It's a great topic for introducing primary and secondary colors to preschool and kindergarten aged students. It can also be a fascinating topic for older students who are ready to study white light and other types of electromagnetic radiation.
-6 clear drinking glasses
-water
-food coloring
Start by filling 3 glasses half way with water. Then set all 6 glasses in a row on the counter alternating cups with water and cups without water (with water, without water, with water, without water....)
Add several drops of red food coloring to the first glass to make red water.
Add several drops of yellow to the third glass.
Add several drops of blue food coloring to the fifth glass.
You now have all your primary colors. Now mix a little of the red water with a little yellow water in the empty cup between them to make orange.
Do the same with the yellow and the blue to make green and the same with the blue and the red to make purple.
Now you've made the secondary colors from the primary colors and you've made the colors of the rainbow.
Grab an old or blank CD and stand by a window with bright sunlight shining in. Move and tilt the CD until you manage to reflect the sunlight onto a wall or the ceiling. You should see a rainbow with all 7 colors!
For this activity you will need:
-a paper towel roll
-an old or blank CD
-a small piece of cardboard or cardstock
-tape
-scissors
-a pencil
Using the scissors or a craft knife cut a thin 45 degree slit towards the bottom of the paper towel roll (it should be a downward angle). Younger children should let an adult do this part.
Directly across from the slit, cut a small eye hole.
Trace one end of your paper towel roll onto the small piece of cardboard or cardstock. Cut it out and cut a slit in the middle. Then tape it to the top of the paper towel roll.
Slide the CD into the 45 degree angle slit, shiny side up.
Now your spectroscope is ready to use. Take it outside, point the top slit at the sky (NOT directly at the sun though), and look into the eye hole. You should see a rainbow!
Take note of how many colors you can see. You should see all 7 colors when using sunlight. Then try it with other light sources and see if you see different colors.
-The Dr. Binocs Show: How A Rainbow Is Formed from Peekaboo Kidz
-How Do Rainbows Form? From SciShow
-The Science Of Light And Color For Kids: Rainbows And The Electromagnetic Spectrum from FreeSchool
If you enjoyed this post, check out:
-A Homeschool Feather Study
-Make A Simple Home Weather Station
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In this post I will share several rainbow science activities that are fun and educational for any age.
How Are Rainbows Formed?
Rainbows form when white light from the sun is refracted and dispersed by water droplets in the air. The water droplets slow and bend the light, separating it into it's separate colors.Paint And Label A Rainbow
Rainbows have seven colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Get out some paper and paints and have your child paint a rainbow with the colors in the correct order. When it's dry, use a black marker to label each color.Primary and Secondary Colors Activity
This is a simple but fun hands on way to learn about primary and secondary colors. For this activity you will need:-6 clear drinking glasses
-water
-food coloring
Start by filling 3 glasses half way with water. Then set all 6 glasses in a row on the counter alternating cups with water and cups without water (with water, without water, with water, without water....)
Add several drops of red food coloring to the first glass to make red water.
Add several drops of yellow to the third glass.
Add several drops of blue food coloring to the fifth glass.
You now have all your primary colors. Now mix a little of the red water with a little yellow water in the empty cup between them to make orange.
Do the same with the yellow and the blue to make green and the same with the blue and the red to make purple.
Now you've made the secondary colors from the primary colors and you've made the colors of the rainbow.
Make A Rainbow
Rain droplets are not the only material that can refract and disperse white light into it's individual colors. CD's work great for making rainbows.Grab an old or blank CD and stand by a window with bright sunlight shining in. Move and tilt the CD until you manage to reflect the sunlight onto a wall or the ceiling. You should see a rainbow with all 7 colors!
Make A Spectroscope
A spectroscope is an instrument used to split light into it's different wavelengths (colors).For this activity you will need:
-a paper towel roll
-an old or blank CD
-a small piece of cardboard or cardstock
-tape
-scissors
-a pencil
Using the scissors or a craft knife cut a thin 45 degree slit towards the bottom of the paper towel roll (it should be a downward angle). Younger children should let an adult do this part.
Directly across from the slit, cut a small eye hole.
Trace one end of your paper towel roll onto the small piece of cardboard or cardstock. Cut it out and cut a slit in the middle. Then tape it to the top of the paper towel roll.
Slide the CD into the 45 degree angle slit, shiny side up.
Now your spectroscope is ready to use. Take it outside, point the top slit at the sky (NOT directly at the sun though), and look into the eye hole. You should see a rainbow!
Take note of how many colors you can see. You should see all 7 colors when using sunlight. Then try it with other light sources and see if you see different colors.
Watch A Video About Rainbows
-The Dr. Binocs Show: How A Rainbow Is Formed from Peekaboo Kidz
-How Do Rainbows Form? From SciShow
-The Science Of Light And Color For Kids: Rainbows And The Electromagnetic Spectrum from FreeSchool
If you enjoyed this post, check out:
-A Homeschool Feather Study
-Make A Simple Home Weather Station
Follow me on:
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