Duck Into Kaleidoscope

Make multiple images of yourself.

With this mirrored kaleidoscope, you can create hundreds of images of whatever you place inside. The basic structure is a triangle, but mirrors can be formed into other shapes and angles as well.

Note: While Snacks were originally conceived to require only low-cost materials, a few Snacks—such as this one—use materials that are notably costly (although there is a reasonable chance these materials might be found in a middle- or high-school classroom). If your school has such items, then this Snack may be appropriate. If not, its usefulness may depend on your ability to obtain or improvise suitable substitutes.

Subjects:

Keywords:

mirror

reflections

exhibit-based

Tools and Materials

Three 1/8-inch-thick acrylic (plastic) mirrors, each measuring 1 feet × 2 feet (30 × 60 cm), available from a plastics supply store
Duct tape

Assembly

1. Tape the short sides of the three mirrors together to form a triangle, with the reflecting surfaces on the inside (see photo at top).

To Do and Notice

Put the kaleidoscope over your head and you'll see a million faces!

What's Going On?

In a kaleidoscope you see reflections of reflections.

Going Further

If you have extra mirrors, experiment by making other closed geometrical shapes such as a square, a rectangle, or a hexagon. Put each shape over your head, or place an object in the center of the shape, and look at the reflections.