How we interact with electromagnetic waves affects our perception of the world around us
This Year 8 unit takes students from the everyday behaviour of light to the full electromagnetic spectrum. It begins with sources and reflectors, the evidence that light travels in straight lines, and the law of reflection, then moves through shadows and eclipses, refraction, colour, and finally the seven families of electromagnetic radiation and what each is used for. The unifying idea is perception: light is a wave we happen to be able to see, and the way it interacts with our eyes and the world shapes what we experience.
The unit's key concept is change, with related concepts of perception, energy and interaction, set in the global context of scientific and technical innovation. The physics is rich in demonstration and diagram work — ray boxes, prisms, colour mixing, and worked refraction diagrams — and connects directly to technology students already meet, from microwave ovens to X-ray imaging.
The unit draws on all four MYP Sciences criteria. The handover assessment focused on criteria B and C through a reflection and refraction investigation, where students plan, carry out and evaluate an experiment, alongside criterion A knowledge testing across the topic checklist.