Activity 3: Pencil Points Teachers’ Notes – Aims: To investigate how both eyes are used to depth and distance. Safety: Make sure that the pupils have enough room to do this activity. Take care that the pencils are not too sharp Apparatus: 2 pencils per pupil Method: Stand with your arms at shoulder height, holding one pencil horizontally in each hand. Close your left eye and then in one smooth move try to bring both the points of the pencils together (see Figure 8) so they are both touching. What happens? Repeat step 2 with your left eye open and right eye closed. What happens? Repeat step 2 with both eyes open. What happens? Figure 8: The pencil point challenge. Suggested questions to ask the pupils [and expected results]: What do you think will happen? What happened? [The pencils should touch in most cases with both eyes open only. In the other options, the pencils usually pass each other.] Why do you think this happens? [Each eye sees the pencils from a different angle. Using both eyes together, allows you to judge depth and distance easier.]
Activity 3: Pencil Points – Teachers’ Notes Aims: To investigate how both eyes are used to depth and distance. Safety: Make sure that the pupils have enough room to do this activity. Take care that the pencils are not too sharp Apparatus: 2 pencils per pupil Method: Stand with your arms at shoulder height, holding one pencil horizontally in each hand. Close your left eye and then in one smooth move try to bring both the points of the pencils together (see Figure 8) so they are both touching. What happens? Repeat step 2 with your left eye open and right eye closed. What happens? Repeat step 2 with both eyes open. What happens? Figure 8: The pencil point challenge. Suggested questions to ask the pupils [and expected results]: What do you think will happen? What happened? [The pencils should touch in most cases with both eyes open only. In the other options, the pencils usually pass each other.] Why do you think this happens? [Each eye sees the pencils from a different angle. Using both eyes together, allows you to judge depth and distance easier.]
Sensational%20Science%20Update.docx