Build a Paper Tube Telescope

Go on a Hunt for Light

Use a clean toilet paper tube to make a paper tube telescope. You can wrap it in additional colored paper and decorate the outside of it. When you look through it and hold your hand over the other end everything should go dark.

Now go around your house and then go outside to search for objects to test with your tube telescope. Look through it and hold an item up that is large enough to cover up the opposite end. Can you see any light through the object or does it block all the light coming into your paper tube ? Have fun testing how objects interact with light using your new tool.ap bubbles are beautiful, aren’t they? It’s time for you to blow bubbles! See if you can catch a bubble without popping it! When a bubble gets close to you, take a close look at it. What do you notice about the bubbles? What color are they? Can you see yourself in a bubble? Can you see a reflection in them? Can you see through them?

Discuss:

Collect objects in the backyard. Direct students to test a tree, a rock, a leaf, a bush, or a ball to see if light shines through it. Direct them to hold the object up to the paper tube telescope as they look through it to see if light shines through through the object or not. Discuss with your child that he/she cannot look at the sun. Looking at the sun is dangerous and will damage your vision. Objects that let only a little light through are called translucent. Translucent objects are things like leaves, flower petals, clothing, etc. Opaque objects block all the light. Wherever you see a shadow it is because an opaque object is blocking the light.

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