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...
Cornell University
Sound Waves
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...
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...
It's About Time
Making Waves
Young scientists use Slinkys to better understand waves. After creating and measuring many aspects of waves, they complete a handout and homework questions. The resource also introduces the final project for the chapter, though it does...
California Department of Education
What Is a "Wave"?
Take a stretch, but don't wave goodbye. An interesting resource provides everything needed to present an introductory lesson plan on waves. Teachers present a PowerPoint defining the types of waves and their characteristics. Pupils use a...
Curated OER
Slinky Movement Lab
In this wave worksheet, students use Slinky's to observe the properties of waves. They observe longitudinal waves, transverse waves, traveling waves and standing waves and record their observations. They calculate the frequency and...
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.
DiscoverE
Slinky® Science
Toys are great for learning about physics. Scholars use Slinky® toys to study Newton's laws of motion and types of energy. After a little play, they then model longitudinal and transverse waves with the Slinky® toys.
Curated OER
Wave Motion
Students observe and identify various waves. In this wave motion lesson, student use a Slinky, noise, people, and musical instruments to create waves and observe how each type of wave moves.
Curated OER
Let's Do the Wave!
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...
Curated OER
Fundamental Properties of a Wave
Young scholars investigate the form and motion of a wave, and examine the fundamental properties of wavelength, frequency, and amplitude. They discuss the fundamental properties of a wave, and in small groups conduct an experiment...
Curated OER
Waves
In this waves activity, students read about harmonic and linear motion in waves as well as the two types of waves. They match 5 terms to their definitions about the structure of waves, they solve for the wavelength, frequency and periods...
Curated OER
Waves
In this waves worksheet, students read about the different types of waves and how the speed of waves is calculated. Then students complete 5 matching, 8 fill in the blank, and 9 short answer questions.
Curated OER
Waves Interference
Students identify different wave types and their characteristics. In this wave lesson students complete activities by activating tuning forks and interpreting data.
Curated OER
How Do I Make My Own P and S Waves
For this P and S waves worksheet, students use a Slinky to simulate P and S waves showing compressional and dilational motion.
Curated OER
Waves: Understanding the Motion of Waves
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.
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....
Curated OER
Make Waves
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...
Curated OER
HW Unit 10:2-Harmonic Motion
In this harmonic motion worksheet, students answer 9 questions about pendulums, a slinky and characteristics of harmonic motion. They identify the changes in waves as the amplitude gets bigger and interpret a graph of position vs. time.
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Jell-O® Waveguide and Power Loss
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 of...
Curated OER
Robot Waves
Students differentiate the properties of longitudinal and transverse waves. In this physics lesson, students calculate CEENBoT's rate of propagation by measuring its frequency and distance per cycle. They use a mathematical formula to...
Curated OER
Wave Types and Characteristics
Ninth graders identify the different parts of a wave. In this physics lesson, 9th graders observe wave behavior as it travels through a boundary. They determine the relationship between wavelength, frequency and velocity.
Curated OER
Measuring the Speed of a Wave
Young scholars create an experiment in which they measure the speed of a wave and record the data in a graph. They work in small groups to write the procedure for the experiment and share it with another group for cross checking of the...
Curated OER
Motions
Ninth graders differentiate between energy waves transmitted from a quarry or mine as opposed to energy waves transmitted by an earthquake. They analyze seismograms of blast events from at least two quarries or mines. The energy waves...