Author Description

Through four engaging lessons and a capstone engineering project, this clear and easy to follow curriculum guide, for grades 7-12, invites students and teachers to critically engage the how and why of laser safety. The science of light, lasers and optics is fascinating, and the technologies that use and apply that science are rapidly expanding - so it makes sense that lasers are showing up in classrooms more frequently. While students need little convincing that working with lasers is fun and exciting, teachers, administrators and parents may very well have safety concerns about putting real lasers in the hands of students. This clear and easy to use curriculum guide? Invites students and teachers alike, to critically engage the how and why of LASER Safety, rather than simply memorize a set of rules.? Connects the science, technology, engineering and math concepts, approaches and applications to a single phenomenon: LIGHT? Contains four content rich lessons and a capstone engineering project - including demonstrations and hands on activities with printable student worksheets? Makes explicit connections among each of the STEM disciplines as well as with other content areas? Contains links to online, interactive, supplemental content? Contains a formative assessment rubric? Is mapped to the Framework for K-12 Science Education Clear and easy to follow, teachers will find an overview chart explaining how the activities and demonstrations help scaffold students' understanding of the concepts at the beginning of each lesson. At the end of each lesson, an assessment rubric outlines developmental milestones, documenting a student's development from concrete to abstract understanding. The guide also contains links to online, interactive, supplemental content. Photonics is the perfect field for STEM education because it inherently involves every STEM subject: multiple science disciplines, technology, the engineering process and math skills. Because it naturally integr