NOAA
Ocean Waves
Surf's up! What causes the constant motion of Earth's oceans? Scholars discover the origins and types of waves in part nine of a 13-installment series. The resource illustrates wave behavior, their destructive power, and current research...
Curated OER
Waves
Light waves and sound waves are the focus of this science activity 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...
Bowels Physics
Waves and Sound
Explore how sound travels as waves with a straightforward lesson that explains the basics of waves in relation to sound. The presentation considers sound waves in both open and closed pipes and shows how to calculate wavelength and...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Understanding Wave Motion - Slinky vs. Snaky: Which Spring is Dominant?
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...
Curated OER
Wow Waves (Waves on the Fly)
Students formulate hypotheses on wave behavior and test them. In this physics lesson plan, students compare and contrast transverse and compression waves. They determine the wavelength of transverse waves.
Curated OER
Typical Numeric Questions for Physics I - Waves
Physics masters figure out the wavelength of different waves. Looking at a wave graph, they identify different characteristics. Many more problems get them working with both electromagnetic and sound waves. There are a total of 17...
Cornell University
Sometimes You Behave Like a WAVE, Sometimes You Don't!
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...
It's About Time
Slinkies and Waves
Slinkies® are a great tool for visualizing waves. Pupils work in groups to create both transverse and longitudinal waves before using a polarizer to analyze the ways they are able to travel.
Columbus City Schools
Earthly Waves
How did scientists discover what lies beneath the earth's surface? Dig a hole? X-ray vision? Guide your class through the types of seismic waves and how these waves helped shed light on Earth's many layers. The included resources provide...
Curated OER
Wave Behavior
In this wave behavior activity, students will read about how sound waves are formed and how air and water temperature affects sound waves travel. Then students will complete 2 short answer questions based on the information they read.
Curated OER
Wave Properties
Use this slideshow to explain waves. Energy travelling in waves and its behavior in different materials are explained. The diagrams and equations will assist your students in defining wave type and explaining the differences between...
Physics Classroom
Name That Harmonic: Closed-End air Columns
Physics is like music—practice makes perfect! Challenge your class using an interactive that builds harmonic skills. The engaging lesson from a playlist exploring sounds and waves revolves around wave behavior in closed-end air columns....
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.
Cornell University
Light Waves: Grades 6-8
Explore the behavior of light with different materials. Collaborative groups determine whether certain materials absorb, reflect, diffract, or transmit light waves. They then measure the angle of incidence and angle of reflection.
CK-12 Foundation
Stow Lake
Does the depth of a pond matter to the waves created when rain is falling? Many people assume the answer is no, but interestingly, it does matter. Pupils explore this concept and other variables related to wave behavior through a...
Columbus City Schools
Making Waves
Learning about waves can have its ups and downs, but a demo-packed tool kit has the class "standing" for more! Learners gain experience with several different wave types, organizing observations and data, and wave terminology. The...
Curated OER
Waves Interference
Students identify different wave types and their characteristics. In this wave instructional activity students complete activities by activating tuning forks and interpreting data.
Curated OER
Light and Elements
Here is a full-fledged investigation of light waves, the electromagnetic spectrum, and element spectra. Physicists research a scientist that contributed to our understanding of the behavior of light. They take notes on your lecture, and...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Reflections of Light
Why can we see our reflection in a window but not a brick wall? Young physicists learn the Law of Reflection and various light properties that help them answer this and other questions about reflection. Use the PowerPoint to introduce...
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
It Comes In Waves
Students investigate the behavior and different origins of tsunami waves, and they then research and chart the path of certain tsunamis from recent history using the Internet, maps and firsthand accounts.
Cornell University
Diffraction Demystified
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.
EngageNY
Tides, Sound Waves, and Stock Markets
Help pupils see the world through the eyes of a mathematician. As they examine tide patterns, sound waves, and stock market patterns using trigonometric functions, learners create scatter plots and write best-fit functions.
Curated OER
Slinky Lab- Simulating the Motion of Earthquake Waves
Sixth graders simulate primary and secondary waves. In this earthquakes waves lesson, 6th graders experiment using a slinky to gain understanding of how waves are created during an earthquake. Students record observations in drawings....