Learning Map
ScienceWaves, Light & Soundusually ages 11–12

Reflection & Refraction

State the law of reflection (angle of incidence = angle of reflection) and explain refraction as the change in speed and direction when light crosses a boundary between two media; apply ray diagrams for plane mirrors and refracting surfaces

How to tell they’ve got it

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Try this together

If your child put a straw in a glass of water and it looked bent at the surface, could they explain why that happens — drawing a diagram to show the path of light at the water’s surface?

Where this sits on the map

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Builds on
Wave Behaviour Vocabularyages 9–11Applying the law of reflection and refraction requires both 'angle of incidence/reflection' and 'refraction' vocabulary
Light Travels in Straight Linesages 10–11Reflection and refraction build directly on understanding that light travels in straight lines and casts shadows
Drawing Ray Diagramsages 12–13The law of reflection is described and verified using ray diagrams for reflection
Reflecting Lightages 7–8Earlier work on light reflecting from surfaces provides the experiential grounding for formal reflection laws
Reflection & Refractionthis skill · ages 11–12
Unlocks
White Light & Colourages 11–12Dispersion of white light into a spectrum relies on understanding refraction (light bending at a boundary)
Ray Diagrams & Imagesages 12–13Ray diagrams formalise the laws of reflection and refraction established in the prerequisite topic
The Electromagnetic Spectrumages 12–13Reflection and refraction of light provides entry-point experience with one member of the EM spectrum

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Curriculum alignment

Candidate matches to official curriculum codes — machine-suggested, unreviewed (v0.1).

Show candidate curriculum codes · 1 VIC

Australian Curriculum v9 candidate

This skill sits outside the F–6 Australian Curriculum — no candidate code matched (v0.1).

Victorian Curriculum 2.0 codes & levels only

VC2S6U08low confidenceScience · Levels 5 and 6 · Science Understanding strand

These are candidate alignments generated by semantic matching — machine-suggested and unreviewed (v0.1), not official or verified mappings. For official curriculum content see australiancurriculum.edu.au, curriculum.nsw.edu.au and f10.vcaa.vic.edu.au. Don’t rely on them for registration or compliance purposes.

Nearby on the map

How Sound Waves Travelages 11–12 Wave Properties & Typesages 11–12 White Light & Colourages 11–12 Drawing Ray Diagramsages 12–13

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