Rainbows
A rainbow was formed above the school when sunlight hit a raindrop and the light was refracted, separating out the colors of the visible light spectrum.
Location
Bondurant, Iowa
Driving Question
- When do we see rainbows? When do we not?
Probing Questions
- Why did a rainbow appear over our school?
- How do you think the temperature compares before and after the storm?
- Why do you think the sky is blue on one side and gray on the other?
- How long do you think the rainbow lasted?
Classroom Suggestions
Students could:
- Watch a video on how rainbows are formed.
- Draw a model of a rainbow.
- Compare temperatures when there is a rainbow vs when there isn’t.
Resources
- Rare Rainbow | WHO 13: A rare looking rainbow in Iowa.
- PBS LearningMedia | Nature Cat | Tally Ho! A Rainbow: After a rainstorm, Daisy wants to capture a picture of a rainbow for her Granny Bunny who just loves rainbows! But finding a rainbow is easier said than done!
- How Do Rainbows Form? | YouTube: A video of the formation of rainbows
Iowa Core Alignment
K-ESS2-1:Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time
Credit Info
Phenomena submitted by Arielle Sexton.
Funding for Iowa Science Phenomena provided by:
