The URBAN-15 Group is proud to host your school at our Holiday Laser Show!

While the Holiday Laser Show presents an entertaining array of light, color and sound, there are also numerous scientific, mathematical, musical, and artistic principles involved in creating this spectacle. For teachers who want to incorporate the Holiday Laser Show into their lesson plans, we have provided the following supplemental materials to add an educational component to the event, highlighting links between lasers and science, math, and the arts via concepts such as refraction, reflection, angles, symmetry, magnification, rhythm and others. Check out links below for ideas! If you have other ideas and suggestions you’ve used in your own classrooms, please feel free to forward them to us at events@urban15.org.

Laser Basics

What is a Laser? (Elementary Grades): http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/laser/en/

Basics of Laser Technology (Elementary Grades): https://www.brainpop.com/technology/scienceandindustry/lasers/

What is a Laser? (Middle Grades): http://www.planet-science.com/categories/over-11s/technology/2012/01/what-is-a-laser.aspx

What is a Laser? (High School): http://www.explainthatstuff.com/lasers.html

Laser types and uses: https://www.teachengineering.org/lessons/view/van_troll_lesson03

STEM Applications

Complete Curricula

“Optics 4 Kids”: http://www.optics4kids.org/home/

“Patterns in Nature: Light and Optics” Course: http://www.asu.edu/courses/phs208/patternsbb/PiN/info/patt.html

Laser Classroom Free K-12 Resources on a variety of STEM concepts: http://laserclassroom.com/free-science-lesson-downloads/

The Physics of Laser – Inquiry Lessons for High School Physics Students:  http://www.laserfest.org/resources/lesson-teacher.pdf

Optics and Photonics Online Resources: http://spie.org/education/education-outreach-resources/online-resources

Projects and Experiments

“Hands On Optics” Activities: http://spie.org/education/education-outreach-resources/hands-on-optics?SSO=1

“Rainbow Mechanic” Project: http://www.mathplayground.com/logic_rainbow_mechanic.html

“Mirror Maze” Project: http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/mirrormaze.html

“Laser Jello” Experiment: https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/laser-jello

“Total Internal Reflection” Experiment: https://www.howtosmile.org/resource/smile-000-000-002-528

Optical Illusions: https://sciencebob.com/see-some-optical-illusions/

DIY Lasers: http://technology.niagarac.on.ca/people/mcsele/lasers/

Supplies for DIY Laser Projects: http://store.laserclassroom.com/educational-kits/

ART

History of Laser Art

http://www.laserfest.net/news/opn-laser-shows.pdf

http://www.laserfx.com/Backstage.LaserFX.com/Newsletter/BriefHistory.html

Accessible Articles about Technology Arts (for Middle and High School Students)

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/7-ways-technology-is-changing-how-art-is-made-180952472/

http://makezine.com/2013/11/15/art-technology-new-art-forms-not-just-new-art/

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-19576763

“STEAM”: Integrating Arts into STEM, STEM into Arts (Elementary/Middle School Levels) 

STEAM Art Lessons: https://www.smore.com/tgcne-steam-art-lessons

“Graffiti: A Digital Identity” Project: https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/visual-arts-technology

“Integrating Technology with Art Class” Slideshow:  https://www.slideshare.net/KatherineSvoboda/integrating-technology-into-art-class

“Laser Maze” Project: https://www.theartofed.com/2016/12/14/create-spies-art-room-string-laser-maze/

MUSIC HISTORY

http://mentalfloss.com/article/60596/origins-10-popular-christmas-carols 

“Frosty the Snowman”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frosty_the_Snowman

“Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24”
http://www.oracleband.net/Lyrics/Sarajevo.htm

“I Wanna Hippopotamus for Christmas”
http://www.nwitimes.com/entertainment/music/the-story-of-a-girl-who-got-that-hippo-for/article_c13e82ca-1438-5f09-8238-a0bb953a65ed.html

“It Was the Night Before Christmas”
http://www.nightbeforechristmas.biz

“Feliz Navidad”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feliz_Navidad_%28song%29