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Reflections of Water

Activity

Observing the World Through Nature's Mirror

Find a small puddle, bowl of water, or a reflective surface outdoors. Use it as a “water mirror” to look at the world upside-down, observing the sky, trees, or yourself in the reflection. Move objects or your face closer and farther to see how the reflection changes, and imagine what it would be like to live in this “upside-down” world!

Science Seed

Water has a unique ability to reflect the world around it due to its smooth surface. When you look into water, light bounces off the surface and creates an image of whatever is above or around it. This reflection occurs because of a process called light reflection, where light hits a surface and bounces back, allowing you to see what is in front of it. The surface of the water acts like a mirror, but it can distort or change the reflection depending on how still or disturbed the water is. For example, when water is calm, it reflects clear, sharp images, but if the water moves or ripples, the reflection becomes blurry. The angle at which you view the water also affects how the reflection looks. If you look at a puddle from above, you’ll see a very different image than if you look at it from an angle.

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earn Badges

Badges can be earned through hands-on experiences within each of the 16 branches of science, or “Science Slices.” You can earn a badge in each branch of science by doing four activities in these categories. We also encourage participants to keep a Nature Journal to record their memories, and to express themselves creatively through writing or drawing after each activity. We recommend that each child (and parent if they’d like) write or draw in a journal after each activity, with expectations of your children that match their age (the goal is self-expression, not perfection).

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join Families in Nature

It is our vision to inspire all families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists. Becoming a member of Families in Nature will give your family the opportunity to have adventures in nature, experience field science, develop as youth conservation leaders, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Memberships are free for everyone.

Who are we?

Families in Nature works to create opportunities for nature connection with the purpose of sparking a deep love and desire to protect, conserve and restore the environment. Our mission is to connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent learning, playing, and volunteering outdoors. It is our vision to inspire ALL families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists.

This project was made possible by HEB.