In this lesson you will learn about the concept of reflection, including one of the simplest laws of

physics, the law of reflection. You will learn about the main features of the law of reflection as
well as some application and facts about reflection in general.

Definition of Reflection Law

The Law of Reflection states that the angle of the incident light ray is equal to the angle of the
reflected light ray. To understand what these angles and light rays stand for, consider the
following diagram depicting the law of reflection. In this depiction, the blue band represents a
mirror, which reflects rays of light.

Law of Reflection Illustrated

The most important thing about the law of reflection is shown as a dashed line in the figure
labeled the normal. The normal line is just a line drawn to the surface of the mirror that makes a
90 degree angle to the mirror. This line is used as a reference point for all of the angles in the law
of reflection.

The incident ray is the beam of light that initially strikes the mirror and the reflected ray is the
beam of light that bounces off the mirror after striking the mirror. The angle of incidence is the
angle that the incident ray makes with the normal and the angle of reflection, or reflected angle,
is the angle that the reflected ray makes with the normal. The equation for the law of reflection is
given by the following formula:
The angle of incidence equals the ray of reflection.

So this law states that any ray of light that strikes an object will reflect off the object such that
the striking or incident angle is identical to the reflecting angle (as measured from the normal).

More on Reflection
The law of reflection tells us that light reflects from objects in a very predictable manner. So the
question is, why do we see objects like a table or a chair? These objects do not produce their own
light, so in order for us to see any object, light must strike the object and reflect from the object
into our eyes. More specifically, in order for us to be able to see objects, the light reflecting off
an object must make its way directly to our eyes. So how does the light get from the object to our
eyes? It does so through one of the two types of reflection: specular and diffuse reflection.

Specular Reflection
Specular reflection is reflection off smooth surfaces. We can think of a beam of light as being
composed of a bundle of many rays of light. When the beam hits a smooth surface like a mirror
or a still pond, the rays collectively travel together with the same intensity and undisturbed.

You've seen specular reflection at work whenever you look at a peaceful lake, where the
background is reflected across the surface of the water.

Specular Reflection: Reflecting off a Smooth Surface

Let's say you are driving at night on a wet road. The light from your headlights hits the wet road
and reflects back at you in an annoying glare. Specular reflection is responsible for the glare. The
water on the road creates a smooth surface for the light to reflect off, and since the light bundle
travels together with the same intensity, the glare reflects back at you, impairing your vision.
Specular Reflection: The body of water acts like a mirror

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Science Lesson Plan: Reflection

Rachel Wologo

Learning Goals and Strategic Functions:

For our science lesson, my partner and I taught a lesson on observations to our

first grade class. The main learning goals in our lesson were making purposeful

observations of the natural world using the appropriate senses, generating questions based

on observations, constructing simple charts from data and observations, and

communicating and presenting findings of observations. We contextualized these

learning goals for the students in our class by allowing them to directly interact with the

objects they were observing and encouraging them to use all five senses when making

their observations. We lead them in a discussion about what they observed and created

charts for each object, presenting the observations for each sense. Learning to make,

read, interpret, and use charts is key to acquiring a scientific perspective (Rosebery,

Teaching Science to ELL, 8). We helped the students engage and explore in the learning

goals by allowing them to physically touch, smell, taste, hear, and see the objects they

were observing. They could observe the objects on their own allowing them to make

their own conclusions about the objects. We then helped them to explain the learning
goals by having them contribute their ideas to the chart and give details why they thought

that and why it was a good observation. This worked well because the students were able

to come up with their own thought about the objects rather than us giving them examples

of observations. They came up with ideas about what make a good observation. I also

thought this worked well because they had to explain their observations. For example,

one student said that the cranberries tasted like cranberries. We asked him why he

thought that and to explain in further detail what a cranberry tastes like, it is sweet, sour,

tangy, etc.? He was then able to explain what he meant and made a very descriptive

observation. Another student said that the pumpkin seeds were white and smooth, while

the outside of the pumpkin was orange and rough. He showed that one observation does

not always completely describe sometime and that the more observations you make, the

more knowledge you will have about that object.

Engaging All Learners:

My partner and I used a variety of engagement strategies in our lesson to connect

the students with science. We first started our by having a brief science talk with the

students. We brought them over to the rug area, so it was a comfortable and informal

environment. We wanted the students to share their stories and experiences with

observations and observing. Many of the students gave examples of things they have

observed and how they observed those objects. Others talked about using the five senses

to make observations, which was a connection we wanted them to recognize. While

having our science talk, we asked the students thought provoking questions so they would

begin to think to think critically and scientifically. Then, we did a hands-on activity that

allowed the students to observe, using all five senses, four different objects. They got to

touch, taste, hear, smell, and see the four objects. This really enabled the students o be

engaged in the lesson because they were making their own observations on the objects

and reporting their finding to the class. All of our engagement strategies worked very

well. The students were so excited and interested in the objects that we picked and loved
being able to interact with the objects by eating, smelling, feeling, listening, and looking.

Not only did they learn what makes a good observation and different ways in which to

observe, they also have tons of fun. Some of the students did not want to go out to recess

after our lesson because they were enjoying so much. This really made me smile that we

created a lesson that they truly took pleasure in and sparked their interest.

One thing I might have done differently would be to not have all the objects at

their tables all ready set up. This distracted some of the students because they were

interested in those objects when they were suppose to be observing a different objects.

Having all four objects viewable at one time caused the student to be distracted from the

one they were currently observing. Many of the students also just wanted to eat the

objects, since they were all edible. This caused a problem for some because they ate the

object before they used all of their other senses to observe it. I might have given each

table only one object at a time while having them concentrate on one sense at a time,

having taste be last, rather than just asking them to observe the objects with all five

senses. This would guarantee that the students were really using all five senses, while

also not having the distraction of the other objects.

Management:

The major challenge that my partner and I experienced was time management.

We had planned to have the students do the hands on observing then write a poem about

their favorite object and draw a picture. However, we did not have time to do the poem

and drawing. It took much longer than we had hoped to do the observations. We had the

students observe the objects then we talked as a class about what they observed for each

sense. My partner and I write their observations in a chart that separated each sense. We

called the on the students to give us describing words for each sense, for each object. We

planned to have them use these charts as a resource when writing their poems and as a

way to record the data they have collected. We thought it would take about five minutes

for object, however they were having so much fun, I did not want to cut the observing
short. We really wanted to them to explore the objects then report their thoughts. We

realized that five minutes is not enough time to do that which each object. Next time I

would definitely devote more time to observing and reporting data. Since this part of the

lesson took longer, we were unable to get to the poem activity. If I did this lesson again I

would not have the students name off as many observations for each sense, maybe have

three or four for each sense. This would cut back on a lot of time. Another way I could

revise the lesson is by having the poem and drawing activity as the follow up activity the

next day, rather than trying to crunch it all into one fifty minute lesson. As for the

management of materials, getting them all set up and transitioning the children we did

great job. It went very smoothly.

When Things Don’t Go As Planned:

Not everything went as we planned when we taught out lesson. The main

problem was that we ran out of time. We did not plan the lesson very well in terms of

timing. We anticipated that the observation of the objects would take about 20 minutes.

However, the students really liked this part of the lesson and were so engaged in it that it

took longer that expected. We did not want to cut this part of the lesson short so we

allowed this part take up more time. In return, we were not able to get to the last activity,

which involved the students using the observations they had made to write a poem. We

were then going to compile the poems and make a class book. We decided that this

would be better as the following up lesson, allowing the observations and charting the

results to be less rushed. Even though the lesson did not go as planned, it think it turned

out for the better because they students go to spend more time observing the objects.

They had so much fun. They did not even want to end the lesson for recess! It was also

better to do the poem activity the following day because then they were able to

concentrate on that rather than being distracted by the objects. One other think that did

no go as planned was that the students were so excited to eat the objects, that they did so

before being able to observe with their other senses. If I were to do this lesson again, I
would facilitate the observing better by asking the students to use one sense at a time.

Rather than just saying, “Remember to use all five sense when observing,” I would have

said, “First we are going to look at the pumpkin.” I would have them look at it and tell

me what they see. Then I would move on to another sense, saving taste for last. This

would enable to students to concentrate on one sense and grasp a better understanding of

using that sense to observe. Even thought things may not have gone perfectly, the lesson

still went very well and the students truly enjoyed it. They were still able to learn.

This lesson plan integrates math and science to demonstrate the law of reflection. Students will reflect on their
prior knowledge, watch a short video, and construct a representation of the Law of Reflection using a mirror,
flashlight, and protractor.

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

state the law of reflection

describe specular and diffuse reflection

Length

1-1.5 hours

Curriculum Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.3

Follow precisely a complex multi-step procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or
performing technical tasks; analyze the specific results based on explanations in the text.
 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.9

Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent
understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSG.CO.D.12

Make formal geometric constructions with a variety of tools and methods (compass and straightedge, string,
reflective devices, paper folding, dynamic geometric software, etc.). Copying a segment; copying an angle; bisecting
a segment; bisecting an angle; constructing perpendicular lines, including the perpendicular bisector of a line
segment; and constructing a line parallel to a given line through a point not on the line.

Key Terms

The law of reflection

Normal line

Incident ray

Angle of incidence

Reflected ray

Angle of reflection

Specular reflection

Diffuse reflection

Materials

Paper

Pencils

Rulers

Flashlights (one per pair)

Handheld, square or rectangular mirrors (one per pair)

Instructions

Start a conversation about reflection by showing students the following quote by Charles Lindbergh:

''I think the light of science is so dazzling that it can be evaluated only by studying its reflection from the . . .
mirror of life.''

Ask students to state what they know about light reflection and write their responses on the board without
providing any correction. To lead the discussion, ask questions such as, 'What is required to create a reflection?'
and 'Which materials are capable of reflecting light?' Tell students that they will be learning more about reflection
in today's lesson.

Begin the video What is the Law of Reflection of Light? - Definition & Overview. Pause at 1:24, ensuring the
diagram depicting the law of reflection is still visible. Ask students to define various elements on the diagram such
as

Normal line

Incident ray

Reflected ray

Angle of incidence

Angle of reflection

Continue the video, this time pausing at 2:21. To check for understanding, ask the following discussion questions:

What is the law of reflection?

How do we see objects that do not produce their own light, such as a table or a chair?

What are the two types of reflection?

Return to the video and watch it to the end. Ask students the following questions:

What is specular reflection?

What are some examples of specular reflection?

What is diffuse reflection?

What are some examples of diffuse reflection?

Check for understanding by completing the lesson quiz.