Year 6 - Science
Measuring reflected light: plan
Light and how it travels
Study Hub
Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit explores how light travels in straight lines, explaining how we see objects and why shadows form the shape of the object casting them. It focuses on planning scientific enquiries, taking precise measurements, making predictions, and evaluating evidence to present findings.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to plan an investigation to see how changing the angle of a mirror affects the angle of reflected light.
Key Notes
- An angle is the space between two straight lines which join at a vertex or point.
- A protractor is a piece of equipment used to measure and draw angles.
- When we measure the angle of light hitting a surface, we measure the angle between that light and the normal line.
- The normal line is an imaginary line that is at a right angle to the surface.
Vocabulary To Learn
- reflected: If light is reflected it is bounced off a surface.
- angle: An angle is the space between two straight lines which join at a vertex or point.
- protractor: A protractor is a piece of equipment used to measure and draw angles.
- patterns: Scientists look for patterns in data to answer their questions.
- normal line: The normal line is an imaginary line that is at a right angle to a surface on which light is reflected.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- To measure the angle where light hits a surface, measure in between the beam of light and the surface.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.
An angle is the space between two straight lines which join at a vertex or point. A protractor is a piece of equipment used to measure and draw angles.
2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'reflected'
If light is reflected it is bounced off a surface. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.
3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.
Mistake: To measure the angle where light hits a surface, measure in between the beam of light and the surface. Correction: The lesson gives children an opportunity to explore a new concept: the normal line. They should become familiar with measuring between the beam of light and the normal line drawn at a right angle to the surface.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Changing the direction of light Study Guide
- How light travels Study Guide
- How shadows form Study Guide
- Light enters our eyes Study Guide
- Light sources and light reflectors (non-statutory) Study Guide
- Measuring reflected light: do and review Study Guide
- Multiple shadows Study Guide
- Reflected light Study Guide
- Shadow shapes investigation Study Guide
- The position of shadows (non-statutory) Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 6 Science guide library.