Teaching about mirrors and lenses is a captivating way to introduce children to the properties of light and its interactions with various materials. This blog explores engaging hands-on activities, simple experiments, and real-world applications that help students understand how mirrors reflect and lenses refract light. By using effective assessment strategies, educators can foster a deeper appreciation for the role mirrors and lenses play in everyday life, from household items to scientific tools.

Reflection and refraction are foundational concepts in science that explain how light interacts with materials. Teaching these ideas to elementary students can be engaging and accessible through hands-on activities like mirror play and prism experiments. Begin with an overview of light’s basic properties, then introduce reflection as the bouncing of light off surfaces, and refraction as the bending of light through mediums like water. Activities such as observing a “bent” straw in water or navigating a flashlight through a cardboard maze can help make these concepts clear and memorable.