How many of these items do you already have? We've tried to keep it simple for you by making the majority of the items things most people have within reach (both physically and budget-wise), and even have broken down the materimoals by experiment category so you can decide if those are ones you want to do. You do not need to do ALL the experiments - just pick the ones you want to do!

Don’t be afraid of this list! The materials are broken down by availability and expense. The items in the first list are low-cost materials you already have or can easily add to your next grocery store list. The second list includes mid-priced equipment for more in-depth projects, and the last list of items is appropriate for upper grades. We’ll be re-using the specialty items from this list (like lenses, lights, lasers, and electrical components) for future projects.

Shopping List for Unit 9: Light Waves Click here for Shopping List for Unit 9.

NOTE: Radio Shack part numbers have been replaced. Click here for full chart.

Light Waves

  • Water glass
  • Clean pickle jar
  • Cooking oil, such as canola (approx. 4 cups – use a cheap brand)
  • Two pennies, dollar bill
  • Flashlight
  • 1 teaspoon of milk (soy, cow…) OR white flour
  • 2 hand held magnifying lenses
  • Old CD you can scratch (used in two experiments)
  • Paper towel tube
  • Feather (any size)
  • Index cards
  • Crayons
  • Bar of Ivory soap (get a pack of 3)
  • Sharp pencil
  • String (about 3’)
  • Scissors, tape
  • Television with a remote control
  • Ziploc bag full of water
  • Black plastic trash bag
  • Piece of plastic (like a plastic spoon or cup)
  • Metal pot or pan (not Teflon coated)
  • Clean piece of white paper
  • UV beads
  • Sunblock
  • Sunglasses
  • Two pairs of sunglasses (the polarizing kind rated for UV protection work well)

Light Waves Part 2

  • Small box with lid (like a shoe box)
  • Tracing paper (1 sheet)
  • Microwave
  • BIG bar of Hershey’s chocolate (any type)
  • Water in a shallow glass baking dish
  • Mirror (like a hand mirror from the bathroom)
  • Optional: UV Fluorescent Black Light
  • 2 yardsticks (AKA meterstick)
  • 10-20 popsicle sticks
  • Index cards or pieces of cardboard
  • Set of lenses with extra double-convex  lenses (this is the kind in a hand-held magnifying glass). Pick one of these to get as an extra, or get all 4: 50mm, 150mm, 300mm, 500mm) ...OR… instead of buying lenses, simply use eyeglasses and magnifiers that you already have around the house.
  • Optional: if you want to make the Newtonian telescope, then pick up a concave mirror AND a small mirror (like a mosiac mirror from the craft store, or mirror from a compact).
  • Diffraction grating (you can use an old CD in a pinch)
  • Sheet of mylar (5” x 8” or larger) and cardboard OR use three rectangular mirrors approx. 8” x 1”
  • Scissors, tape
  • Optional: wooden clothespins (about 4)
  • Optional: red, green, and blue colored light sticks (Make sure the light inside the red stick really glows RED, not the usual green liquid enclosed in a red-colored tube.)
  • For the last few items on this list, you can select from either group:

Group A: Three flashlights, three colors of nail polish (red, green, and blue), clear tape (or plastic wrap) OR…

Group B: Three ‘party bulb’ lights (green, blue, and red colored incandescent light bulbs) in clip-on lamps

Lasers

  • Red laser pointer (NOT GREEN!)
  • Small mirrors (mosaic mirrors are cheapest)
  • 3 large paper clips
  • 3 brass fasteners
  • 5 index cards
  • 2 pins
  • 2 razor blades
  • 4 clothespins
  • Scissors, tape
  • White wall (or white paper stuck to the wall)
  • PLUS materials from Light Waves 1 & 2

For Advanced Students:

 

Laser Light Show

  • Red laser pointer
  • 2 3VDC motors
  • 2 gears** or corks (you’ll need a solid way to attach the mirror to the motor shaft tip)
  • 2 1” round mirrors (use mosaic mirrors)
  • 2 DPDT switches with center off
  • 20 alligator clip leads
  • 2 AA battery packs with 4 AA batteries
  • 2 1K or 5K-ohm potentiometers
  • Zip-tie (from the hardware store)
  • ½ " or ¾ " metal conduit hangers (size to fit your motors from the hardware store)
  • 3 sets of ¼ " x 2" bolts, nuts, and washers
  • 1 tupperware container (at least 7” x 5”) with lid
  • Basic tools (scissors, hot glue gun, drill, wire strippers, pliers, screwdriver)

**If you have trouble finding these parts (with the ** next to them), just send us an email.

 

 

Laser Communicator

This project requires soldering. We’ll teach you how to solder, but you need a soldering iron. If you don’t have a soldering iron, save this project for another time.

 

 

 


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Comments

8 Responses to “Shopping List for Unit 9”

  1. This list is for Unit 9. There is a different material list if you go through this content by either “Grades” or “Live Classes”.

  2. tiffanyscott says:

    Is this list or the one on the unit overview more updated? I noticed they are a little different: uv beads for example

  3. sarah_busier says:

    This is spectacular! Thank you!

  4. Thanks Aurora! (I’ll get the UV light!!)

  5. A black light and UV light/lamp have the same name for a variety of different bulbs that emit in the UV. Fluorescent bulbs tend to work better than incandescent. The (incandescent) bulbs you get around Halloween that look like black light bulbs that screw into a lamp base aren’t usually strong enough. You can find a fluorescent UV light from any pet store (look for ‘Urine Off’ types of packages, as urine glows under a UV black light) – that’s the cheapest and most accessible UV light source we’ve found.

    You can easily test out your black light by taking it near the box of laundry soap and see if the soap glows bluish-white (turn off the lights first!) or bringing it near a bottle of tonic water (glows blue). If your light causes these things to fluoresce, then it’ll work.

  6. Will a black light work instead of a long-wave UV lamp? (From Unit 8 list.) Thanks!

  7. Hi Vivian! The Unit 8: Chemistry series will be up in early January. You can check the new syllabus we just posted for a peek at the topics and dates they will be released.

  8. Vivian North says:

    I am in the process of doing chemistry with my children and I would like to add these experiments. I can get the shopping list but can’t get to the directions or videos. Can you help me. Thank you.

    Vivian North