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Can you see in the dark?

Can you see in the dark?
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# Optional Activity: Dark Box

You may not be able to take a field trip into a deep, dark cave, but you can make a Dark Box that lets students experiment with seeing in dim light and darkness.

Go to the next slide for instructions.

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# Optional Activity: Dark Box

A Dark Box is an opaque box with a hole in one end. Students take turns placing a message inside the box and trying to read the message through the opening. How much light do they need to see the message clearly? Students learn that they can see objects only when light shines on them. See Activity Prep below.

Dark Box
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# Extensions
Below is an idea for extending this topic beyond the activity & exploration you just completed.
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# Distance Learning: Substitute Activity

Instead of making Dark Boxes, you can use this distance-friendly substitute activity.

Make the classroom as dark as possible. From their seats, have students read words and signs around the room. Can they read them all? Can they identify the colors of the words?

Turn on the lights. Ask students to read the words and signs. Which words and signs were the easiest to see in the dark? Which were the hardest? Did they get the colors right?

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Activity Prep

Print Prep

Switch to non-narrated version

In this Read-Along lesson, Santiago visits a cave and discovers that when it's dark (really dark!) he can't see anything. The lesson includes a short exercise where students find the sources of light around them. You can extend the lesson with the optional activity, Dark Box, where students experience what it's like to try to see in the dark.

Preview optional activity
Number of students:

I have a Mystery Pack

Dark Box printout 1 per pair
Dark Box Messages printout 1 per pair
How To Play “Dark Box” worksheet 1 per pair
Crayons
Colored pencils or markers will also work.
Details
3 crayons per student
Scissors
1 pair per student
Black Cardstock
2 sheets per pair
Paper Clips
8 clips per pair
Prep Instructions

We recommend making enough Dark Boxes prior to class so that students can work in pairs. If you only have enough materials to make one or two Dark Boxes, you can use this experiment as an activity station.

As an alternative to making Dark Boxes with cardstock, you can also simply use a shoebox (or similar box with a lid). All you have to do is use a sharp knife to cut a 1-inch square on one end of the box that can serve as an eyehole.

Make Your Dark Boxes

If making Dark Boxes from cardstock, watch this video and follow the instructions on the printed Dark Box templates.

Have Students Play “Dark Box”

  1. Have pairs of students cut, fold, and color the Dark Box Messages.
  2. Distribute the “How To Play Dark Box” printout to each pair of students.
  3. Students will take turns placing a message inside the box and try to read the message.
  4. Ask students how much light they need to see the message clearly and if there is anything they can do to let more light into the box. Students will start to notice that they can only read the message once they start to lift the lid of the box to let more light through. (NOTE: If students have difficulty lifting the box lid slightly, you can cut a small hole on the top of the lid and have students cover the hole to make it dark, and uncover the hole to let light in.)

Extend this lesson

Distance Learning

Transcripts