Light and Optics: Explore Refraction, Reflection, and the Hidden Science of Color

Light is all around us, but it behaves in surprising and sometimes mysterious ways. In this 90‑minute STEM presentation, kids will explore the science of refraction, reflection, lenses, color, polarization, and fluorescence through a series of fast‑paced, entertaining demonstrations. Several activities will be hands‑on.

We will bend light, split it, flip it, trap it, and learn what nature hides from our eyes!
Just some of the things kids will discover are:

• How light is a wave, how it travels and how we can bend, bounce, and focus it
• Why lenses of different shapes change what we see
• How prisms split white light into a rainbow
• How polarization filters light
• Why some objects glow under ultraviolet light

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲:
Designed for ages 8–14, this session includes hands‑on demos, audience participation, and plenty of opportunities to ask questions.

𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲:
Parents will appreciate how this presentation blends physics, visual perception, and real‑world applications in a way that is fun, accessible, and memorable. Hopefully, it will lead kids to explore more on their own.
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: Spanish Springs Library, Washoe Room on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at 2:30 PM
To manage attendance, please register each attending parent and child. It is quick and FREE.

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Host or Publisher Gerry Baerman