Science Matters
Finding the Epicenter
The epicenter is the point on the ground above the initial point of rupture. The 10th lesson in a series of 20 encourages scholars to learn to triangulate the epicenter of an earthquake based on the arrival times of p waves and s waves....
Curated OER
Earthquakes: Fourth Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Examine earthquake intensities and ways to measure an earthquake through the comparison of the Mercalli and Richter scales. After completing the pre-lab worksheet, fourth graders compare high and low intensity quakes by testing the...
K5 Learning
Why Does the Ocean have Waves?
Six short answer questions challenge scholars to show what they know after reading an informational text that examines waves—what they are, what causes them, and how different Earth factors affect their size and strength.
Cornell University
Light Waves: Grades 9-12
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.
Curated OER
Plumbing the Deep-Using Sound Waves to See
Students explore and learn about the concept of echolocation. In this echolocation lesson, students explore how animals and engineers use echolocation (seeing under water) and sound waves to look and hear things under the deep water.
Curated OER
Seismic Waves
In this seismic waves activity, students read and study the science of earthquakes using online resources to complete 8 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Finding Epicenters
In this earthquake worksheet, students use the seismographs from different locations to determine the epicenter for the earthquake. Students plot the epicenter on a map. This worksheet has 1 graphic organizer.
Curated OER
The Oceans, Waves, Tides & Currents
Your introductory lesson to oceanography can be outlined with this apropos presentation. It touches on the physical features of the ocean floor, waves, tides, and currents. One small issue is that some of the graphics are not of the...
NASA
Catch a Gravitational Wave, Dude!
It is cowabunga time! Pupils read an article about the NASA LISA mission on gravitational waves and conduct additional research on them. The class participates in a science bowl type competition about gravitational waves. Panels of four...
K12 Reader
Waves & Currents
Challenge your young readers with a passage about physical science. After reading about sound waves and electric currents, kids answer five reading comprehension questions about what they have read.
The Science Spot
The Wave Exercise
During a lesson plan on wave motion, physical science participants basically act out the waves as a group. Through their movements, the amplitude, speed, frequency, and wavelength are all identified. Ideas for modeling the reflection and...
Colorado State University
How Do Long and Short EM Waves Interact with the Earth's Atmosphere?
Things are about to heat up in your classroom! A kinesthetic lesson asks learners to play the part of the gases in the earth's atmosphere and interact with the sun's radiation. The focus is to learn the impact of the increasing...
Curated OER
Earthquake Waves
In this earthquake waves activity, students are given the three types of waves and they match the type with their definition.
Curated OER
Seismic Waves
Learners identify the four types of seismic waves, their characteristics and effects. Then they predict the level of damage each wave might cause in a residential area and test their predictions against several computer animations. ...
Discovery Education
Sonar & Echolocation
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...
Curated OER
Listening Devices
Students design and construct a listening device that will allow them to listen to the sound generated by specific object inside a box.
Curated OER
Sounds Like Great Science!
A phenomenal lesson on sound is here for your third graders! In it, learners engage in hands-on activities, watch video, take part in Internet activities, and complete tasks in cooperative groups in order to explore the world of sound...
Exploratorium
Diffraction
Kindle knowledge of how light travels by using this activity in your physical science curriculum. By setting up a candle flame or flashlight bulb and viewing it through a slit, observers of light see evidence of its wave characteristic....
Curated OER
Playing With Science
Young scientists investigate the scientific concepts and principles that help make common toys such as hula hoops, yo-yos, slinkies, and silly putty work. As a class, they read "Backyard Rocket Science, Served Wet" to get a look behind...
Curated OER
Calculating Wave Speed
In this wave speed activity, students will learn how to calculate the speed of waves by dividing the wavelength by the period. Students will then calculate wave speed for 7 different examples.
Curated OER
Characteristics of Waves
In this characteristics of waves worksheet, students answer 9 questions about the structure of waves, the types of waves and the components of waves. They describe the frequency of a wave and calculate the velocity and frequency of waves.
Curated OER
Standing Waves
In this standing waves worksheet, students read about standing waves, their nodes, their anti-nodes and their wavelengths. They are given diagrams of harmonics and the equation to find the frequency of harmonics. Students match terms...
Curated OER
Fetch Me a Wave
Students explore waves and how they form. In this wave lesson students prepare a written report on waves and tsunamis then discuss what they learned.
Curated OER
Keep on Standing!!
Students construct an earthquake simulator and create building models to test. For this earthquake lesson, students use the Internet and a slinky to demonstrate P and S waves. They construct an earthquake simulator as a class and use it...