Many types of cancer treatments now depend on nanotechnology—a big "little" discovery. Scholars begin by removing "malignant" tissue from simulated brains, one using fluorescent markers thanks to nanotechnology and one without. This...

Dive into the mystery of sound waves!  Scholars brainstorm questions about how sound travels and why different items make different sounds. They then conduct experiments to answer their questions.

A well-designed, comprehensive, and attractive slide show supports direct instruction on how sonar and echolocation work. Contained within the slides are links to interactive websites and instructions for using apps on a mobile device to...

Your class might be surprised to learn that mirrors have been around since the first century AD! Young scientists explore reflection and refraction of light through a series of challenges. They use this knowledge to design their own...

Study diffraction patterns using CDs and DVDs! Scholars measure the diffraction patterns of a light wave as it hits a CD or DVD. Using the information, they can measure the distance between the tracks. 

What goes into a museum display? A secondary-level STEM project prompts groups to design a museum display for the Tech Museum of Innovation. They create an analogous, interactive model illustrating a science concept to complete the...

Explore the behavior of light waves with a lab activity. Scholars build new vocabulary through experimentation and observation. Using different mediums, they model reflection, refraction, transmission, diffusion, and scattering of light.

Electromagnetic radiation behaves like both a wave and a particle. Help classes explore this concept through a lab investigation. Young scientists create optical interference patterns on a glass slide using a carbon layer. They analyze...

Turning white light into colors only takes a little scientific know how! Young scholars create their own spectroscope in a hands-on activity exploring the properties of light. Using a diffraction grating, they discover how white light...

Students read and discuss waves and their wavelengths and amplitudes. For this waves lesson plan, students draw the wavelength and amplitude of a wave and discuss tsunamis and storms.

Students determine their own eyesight and calculate what a good average eyesight value for the class would be. They examine how technology enhances eyesight and how engineers play an important role in the development of these technologies.

Work samples, phenomena, assessment templates, and videos that directly address standard 4-PS4-1: wave model.

In this physics science fair project, the student will use common materials to play back sound from a vinyl record album. The student will investigate what kinds of materials produce the best sound. The Science Buddies project ideas are...

Students will use a variety of objects to participate in a partner activity and communicate using light and sound waves. Resources include a video, pictures and videos of the lesson plan in action, and examples of student work.

This Thermal Energy unit has students investigating two ways to transfer energy into a drink: (1) the absorption of light and (2) thermal energy from the warmer air around the drink. They are then challenged to design their own drink...

Here is a 1-5 day unit on electromagnetic radiation that features a teacher guide and student activities with extensions.

Every second billions of waves-sound waves, radio waves, light waves-pass through or bounce off our bodies. Over time people have developed technologies that make use of these natural phenomena to accomplish their goals such as creating...

Discover how sound vibrations travel across a string by making a telephone from paper cups, string and paper clips.

In this third part of his series on light and color, Colm Kelleher discusses wave-particle duality and its relationship to how we see light and, therefore, color. [4:23]

This Florida State University page includes an interactive java tutorial that explores the relationship between frequency, wavelength, and energy, and enables the visitor to adjust the intensity of the radiation and to set the wave into...

A simple activity to investigate how light reflects off a flat surface, a convex one, and a concave one. With a link to an article on reflection.

In this direct instruction lesson, students draw sketches in their science notebooks in order to make sense of wave properties. Resources include a slideshow presentation on the properties of waves and multiple examples of student work.

In this activity, students play the game Simon Says to make the amplitudes and wavelengths defined by the teacher. First they play alone, and then they play with a partner using a piece of rope.

An introduction to wave traits and how they affect sound.