Eyes Badge
(Discover Science and Technology
by Deborah Header and Jessica Williams
Preschool: Do 3 requirements including the 2 starred and 1 optional or higher level.
_____ 1.* Learn what optometry means and what an optometrist does. Understand why some people wear glasses.
_____ 2.* Compare the of eyes in different animals. Why do they look different than ours? Can they see things we can’t?
Level 1: Do 4 requirements including the 2 starred and 2 optional or higher level.
_____ 1. Do Preschool requirements 1 & 2. Learn about the eyes of one animal from each of the following categories. How do their eyes compare to human eyes?
- Mammal
- Bird
- Insect
- Fish
- Reptile
- Amphibian
_____ 2.* Learn how to properly care for your eyes. Why is it important not to stare at “screens” for too long? Why should you make sure to have good light when reading or drawing? What can you eat that will help you retain good eyesight?
Level 2: Do 5 requirements including the 2 starred and 3 optional or higher level.
_____ 1. Do level 1 requirements 1 & 2
_____ 2.* Learn what a convex lens and a concave lens are. See how the light passes through each.
Level 3: Do 6 requirements including the 2 starred and 4 optional or higher level.
_____ 1. Do Level 2 requirements 1 & 2
_____ 2.* Learn the different parts of the eye and what they do. Understand the following:
- Ciliary Body
- Iris
- Anterior Chamber
- Pupil
- Rods
- Cones
- Cornea
- Lens
- Sclera
- Retina
- Macular
- Vitreous
- Optic Nerve
Level 4: Do 7 requirements including the 2 starred and 5 optional or higher level.
_____ 1. Do Level 3 requirements 1 & 2
_____ 2.* Learn about the following common eye disorders and be able to explain each:
- Glaucoma
- Macular Degeneration
- Cataracts
- Diabetic Retinopathy
- Nearsightedness
- Farsightedness
- Astigmatism
- Color Blindness
Level 5: Do 9 requirements including the 2 starred and 7 optional or higher level.
_____ 1.* Do Level 4 requirements 1 & 2.
_____ 2.* Teach someone how to do a skill from this badge or teach some knowledge about this badge to someone. You can teach children, your spouse, seniors, anyone, just as long as you are sharing your new found knowledge. If for some reason you cannot teach what you have learned to someone else, you may choose an additional 2 optional requirements instead.
Optional Requirements
_____ 3. Understand what the optic chiasma is and draw a diagram of it.
_____ 4. As our eyes register incoming light; electrical pulses transport the information to the brain, which processes it and informs us of what we see. Learn how the brain takes the information from each eye and combines it with this simple exercise. Roll up a piece of paper and hold it to your left eye. Keeping both eyes open place your right hand with the palm facing you next to the tube with your pinky finger touching the tube. Does it look like there is a hole in your hand? Find out why.
_____ 5. Visit an optometrist or ophthalmologist and interview them about their job. What type of education did they need? What does a typical day look like? What do they like about their job?
_____6. Learn about the different types of equipment an optometrist uses and what each one does.
_____ 7. Learn about Enchroma glasses and how they help the colorblind distinguish color.
_____8. Learn about light wavelengths
_____ 9. Find out what an autostereogram is and try to see one. How do they work?
_____10. Learn how glasses and contact lens work.
_____ 11. Visit an optometrist and try on various glasses. Find out what styles suit what shaped faces and why.
_____ 12. What is persistence of vision and after effects?
_____ 13. Learn how animation tricks our brain into seeing motion. Create a simple flipbook to demonstrate.
_____ 14. Learn about optical illusions. How do these “trick” our eyes and make us think we see something that is not real? Look at at least 10 different types of optical illusions.
_____ 15. Learn the difference between optometry and ophthalmology.