HOW TO INCLUDE RAINBOW FORMATION TO TEACHING OF PHYSICS AT HIGH SCHOOLS USING ICT?

The basic topics of physics include optics. In teaching of physics at high schools we explain how to assemble and use microscope or telescope but we don't explain to our students why we can see a rainbow in the sky. The article wants to point out that the rainbow formation is an interesting and didactically relevant theme of high school physics, also with strong ties to the mathematics and computer science. We can lead students to create a dynamic model of light beam motion in a drop of water using geometric sketchbook (i.e. Cabri Geometry or GeoGebra). Based on the understanding of the model then students determine so-called rainbow function, calculate and draw its graph using a spreadsheet (i.e. MS Excel or OpenOffice.org Calc). With the use of ICT the interpretation of rainbow formation is easy to understand for students, and it also adds an unusual, yet effective use of two kinds of application software.