Australian Curriculum links
Learning areas
Science
Year 7
- Scientific knowledge changes as new evidence becomes available, and some scientific discoveries have significantly changed people's understanding of the world (ACSHE119)
- Science knowledge can develop through collaboration and connecting ideas across the disciplines of science (ACSHE223)
- Collaboratively and individually plan and conduct a range of investigation types, including fieldwork and experiments, ensuring safety and ethical guidelines are followed (ACSIS125)
Year 8
- Cells are the basic units of living things and have specialised structures and functions (ACSSU149)
- Construct and use a range of representations, including graphs, keys and models to represent and analyse patterns or relationships, including using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS144)
- Summarise data, from students' own investigations and secondary sources, and use scientific understanding to identify relationships and draw conclusions (ACSIS145)
General capabilities
- Literacy
- Critical and creative thinking
- Intercultural understanding
Students engage with learning about the structure and functioning of cameras through the construction of a pinhole camera, taking photos and completing a table.
Use these instructions to build a pinhole camera. Alternatively, make a camera using milk cartons and wax paper.
Take some photos with your camera. Take photos of things that are close and things that are far away. Use varying exposure times.
Record the distance and exposure for each photo and observe how the photo produced is similar to or different from the image it is recording.
Draw a diagram explaining how a pinhole camera works, using your observations from taking photos with the camera. If you need some more information read about light and the pinhole camera, especially the camera obscura section.
Complete Table 1, outlining the structure and function of the parts of a pinhole camera. Add any other parts you think are important.
Table 1: Pinhole camera structure and function
| Part | Describe the structure | Explain the function |
|---|
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
Write a summary statement about how a pinhole camera works.
Students explore the structure and functions of human and animal eyes through dissection and interactive digital resources.
Become familiar with the parts of eyes by:
Complete Table 2 to explain eye anatomy and function. Add any other parts you think are important.
Table 2: Human eye structure and function
| Part | Describe the structure | Explain the function |
|---|
| Cornea | | |
| Aqueous humor | | |
| Iris | | |
| Pupil | | |
| Lens | | |
| Vitreous humor | | |
| Retina | | |
| Muscles | | |
Write a summary statement about how a pinhole camera works.
Going further
- Compare the features of human eyes to those of some animals in the Eyeball Challenge.
Students evaluate the contribution of Ibn al-Haytham to the understanding of the functioning of the eye.
Read about Ibn al-Haytham, sometimes known as Alhazen, who was born in Basra (965).
Discuss your perceptions of the contributions of Ibn al-Haytham to the understanding of the functioning of the human eye.
Compare the functions of the parts of the pinhole camera and the parts of the eye.
Describe the similarities and differences between the parts and the functions of pinhole cameras and eyes.
Create a presentation to share your knowledge about the parallels, first drawn by Ibn al-Haytham, between the ways that eyes and cameras operate.
Review the Prezi comparing pinhole cameras and eyes and note any new information to your own comparison
Going further
- Find out about people from other cultures who also developed the ideas behind the pinhole camera.
- Research the contribution to medical thought and anatomical knowledge of Ibn Sina, a Persian physician whose medical guide was used for 600 years.
- Research diseases of the eye and their treatments. How easy is it to prevent blindness?
