Why the Sky Makes Colors: teacher key

Rainbows, grade 4 edition, written for 4th grade. A rainbow is light that reaches only your eyes. Learn about refraction, prisms, double rainbows and fogbows.

Read the book. Print this page for the key.

Questions and answers

1. When does a rainbow reach your eyes?
   • Only at noon
   • When you stand in the right spot (answer)
   • Only on clouds
2. What makes a double rainbow?
   • Two suns
   • A very big cloud
   • Light bouncing twice in raindrops (answer)
3. What is a fogbow?
   • A pale, nearly white rainbow (answer)
   • A bow for hair
   • A dark cloud
4. Why might a dark storm cloud help you see a rainbow?
   • It makes the sun hotter
   • The colors show best against it (answer)
   • It makes drops bigger
5. What does refraction mean here?
   • A kind of rain
   • A cold wind
   • The bending of light (answer)

Words

• refraction: light bending
• prism: color-splitting glass
• fogbows: pale fog rainbow
• arc: curved line