Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Waves

For Teachers 5th
Light waves and sound waves are the focus of this science lesson designed for 5th graders. Besides discovering how these waves travel, learners also discover the basic properties of waves, and analyze data tables and graphs. The...
Lesson Plan
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network

Understanding Wave Motion - Slinky vs. Snaky: Which Spring is Dominant?

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Ride the wave to an understanding of refraction! The first in a series of two inquiry-based lessons challenges learners to create transverse waves with two different types of springs. As their wave hits an object, they observe the change...
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Sound Waves

For Students 6th - 9th
How does sound travel through different mediums? Scholars explore this question by creating and observing sound waves as they learn the difference between transverse and longitudinal wave motion. Using their new knowledge, class members...
Lesson Plan
Acoustical Society of America

Wave Basics

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Catch the fast wave. Using a computer simulation, pupils experiment with amplitude, frequency, damping, and tension of a string to determine which affects the speed of the wave. Learners record the observations to determine their...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Let's Do the Wave!

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students distinguish waves from matter, differentiate between transverse and longitudinal waves, use sine curves as representations of transverse waves, label characteristic properties of waves, diagram transverse waves having specific...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wave Motion

For Teachers 1st - 12th
Students observe and identify various waves. In this wave motion activity, student use a Slinky, noise, people, and musical instruments to create waves and observe how each type of wave moves.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Robot Waves

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students differentiate the properties of longitudinal and transverse waves. In this physics lesson plan, students calculate CEENBoT's rate of propagation by measuring its frequency and distance per cycle. They use a mathematical...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Make Waves

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders discover, through exploration, the basic characteristics of waves. After a lecture/demo, 6th graders work in groups and participate in a series of labs where they investigate waves. Each group presents its findings to the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Earthquake Waves And Their Destructions

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate primary and secondary waves and how to measure the magnitude of waves. They discover how to find the epicenter of earthquakes. They examine why waves are more destructive in some areas than others through these...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Waves: Understanding the Motion of Waves

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Learners demonstrate the motion of waves. In this wave lesson, students demonstrate the various attributes to waves and the properties through a variety of hands-on activities.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Wave Types and Characteristics

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders identify the different parts of a wave. For this physics lesson, 9th graders observe wave behavior as it travels through a boundary. They determine the relationship between wavelength, frequency and velocity.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

From Vibration to Sound

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students observe a series of demonstrations to illustrate wave movement. In this sound wave lesson, students witness how objects create waves when dropped in a dish of water, use a rope and slinky to produce transverse and longitudinal...
Lesson Plan
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network

Jell-O® Waveguide and Power Loss

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Jell-O® can help model the transmission of light through fiber optic cables. Young scientists use the jiggly dessert to make a waveguide to transmit a laser beam from one point to another. Their models help them learn the function...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Studying Earthquakes in the Classroom

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students simulate p waves (longitudinal) & s waves (transverse) using a slinky and rope, simulate one of the three types of lithospheric boundaries, and investigate plate tectonics at some select Web sites.