Through physics experimental investigations, a theory becomes a physical law and a theory can best understood through laboratory activities to provide evidences of learning. However, not all schools have the access to science laboratory resources. The researcher designed and constructed a low-cost improvised refraction tank that concretizes theories of light phenomenon to physical laws. This meets the learning challenges of some highland schools of Abra where conventional equipment and or apparatus may be inadequate or unavailable at all. The results revealed that the Low-cost improvised refraction tank yielded 3.05% error from its functionality test. After the use of the improvised refraction tank by Grade 7 students in their Physics laboratory activities, their level of understanding increased from (7.09 mean score) 35.05% to (17.24 mean score) 86.02%. Such mean percentage score enabled the students to increase their score 50.97%. The students’ level of understanding in light phenomenon improved from “Poor” to “Very Good”. The results proved that the utilization of customized and low-cost refraction tank is effective to concretize the concepts being discussed in the lecture session of light phenomenon and it reinforced and enriched students’ learning. Through improvisation of locally available resources, learners equally develop science conceptual understanding and how they occur in everyday life.
Keywords: constructivism, science manipulative, localization, instructional material, learning by doing