Design a Traffic light - Senior Infants

Science: Energy and Forces –Light

 In Senior Infants we have been learning all about road safety. We learnt all bout crossing the road safely with the help of a traffic light. We went outside and observed the sequencing of the traffic lights at our school gate. Then we discussed the shapes, and colours of traffic lights. We talked in our partners about where each colour is placed and what each colour means.  We even played a traffic light game in the hall to test our knowledge of the meaning of each light. 

From our observations we were able to draw our traffic light design we decided we needed needed the colours red, orange (or yellow if we have no orange) and green. The shape of the traffic light would be a cuboid and the lights would be circle shapes.

Next we tried various materials to see whether they let the light through (transparent) or blocked all the light (opaque).  We tested this with a torch and the sunlight coming in from the window.

Felt and coloured sheets of paper didn't work at all because they are opaque.

Crepe paper and tissue paper were a little better, they let a little bit of light through.

Cellophane was the best as it was extremely transparent.

To make the traffic light we covered a shoe box in black paper. Then we cut out 3 circles shapes. Next we used cellotape to stick on the coloured cellophane. 


Now all we needed was a light source. We used a torch to shine through the each colour to create the traffic light we took turns to practice the sequence of the lights.