Curated OER
Physics: Light and Sound
Young scholars explore the concepts of light waves and sound waves. In this physics instructional activity, students complete activities that require them to investigate how light and sound waves travel.
Curated OER
Waves
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...
Science 4 Inquiry
Battle of the Waves
Which travels faster, light or sound? Scholars work in groups to simulate the ability for waves to travel through solids, liquids, gases, and through a vacuum. Then, they learn about the properties of a mystery wave and must determine...
Curated OER
Sound Ideas
Complete a unit of lessons on hearing and sound. Learners conduct sound experiments, research the history of the telephone and scientific contributions of Alexander Graham Bell, and create a model of the human ear.
Curated OER
Wavelengths of Light
Explore physical science by participating in a visual spectrum experiments. Budding scientists identify the colors in the color spectrum and view the colors in class by utilizing cellophane, flash lights, and other arts and crafts...
Curated OER
Sound Energy
Sixth graders understand properties and behavior of heat, light, and sound. They describe the production of sound in terms of vibration of objects that create vibrations in other materials. Students describe how sound is made from...
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
Using Waves on the Job!
A colorful and comprehensive PowerPoint highlights this lesson on waves. Junior geophysicists pretend that they are hired to analyze seismic waves. A worksheet is provided to go along with an online article about how compact discs work...
Curated OER
Light
Light is such a fascinating subject. This lesson does a great job of illuminating the mysteries of light for your young scientists. A series of demonstrations which are explained in the plan should help your charges to understand how...
Curated OER
Waves Interference
Learners identify different wave types and their characteristics. In this wave lesson students complete activities by activating tuning forks and interpreting data.
Curated OER
Using Bubbles to Learn about Light Interference
Students explore constructive interference and destructive interference. In this light travel activity, students follow procedures to discover how light waves travel and experience interference.
Curated OER
Strange Sounds
Learners investigate sound as a form of energy. In this energy, forces, and sound lesson plan, students explore how different sounds may be made as they make a variety of materials vibrate. Learners observe the effects of vibrations and...
University of Southern California
Wave Erosion Lab
Using a stream table, erosion enthusiasts examine how the density of sediment and how the slope of land contribute to the amount moved by waves. You will not be able to use this entire resource as is; there are teachers' names and...
Curated OER
Sound Busters
Fourth graders engage in a study of sound pollution at their school. After a class discussion on what noise pollution is, learners are asked if they think there are areas of their school or community where noise pollution is a problem....
Curated OER
Understanding Waves
Students examine the physical properties of waves to explore the word crest and trough. They use toys to study waves in air, water and light.
Cornell University
LEDs Rainbow Connection
View LED lights through the eyes of a scientist. Young scholars learn to view light as a wave frequency and connect various frequencies to different colors on the light spectrum. A lab activity asks groups to measure the frequency of...
Curated OER
Sound
Fifth graders explore and examine the basic properties of sound. In pairs, they speak through a balloon and listen to the sound vibrations, and listen to a ticking clock or watch through a variety of materials and identify the...
Curated OER
What Role Does Light Play Within the Vision Process?
High schoolers are introduced to the relationship between light and vision. In groups, they participate in experiments to discover how different wavelengths are divided in the visible spectrum. They record their answers and discuss their...
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
What Does Motion Have to do with Sound?
Second graders investigate and explore sound energy. They investigate how the vibrational motion moves through matter in waves. Students describe sounds and vibrations. They observe that vibrational motion creates sounds. Students record...
Curated OER
Making Waves, Making Music, Making Noise
Middle schoolers construct "talking cans" and instruments to explain how vibration of objects produces various sounds.
Curated OER
Seeing Sound & Sonar
Students make inferences based on different sounds that they hear. In this inferences lesson plan, students will hear sounds of different objects and describe the sounds based on what they hear. They will answer various questions about...
Curated OER
Electromagnetic and Physical Waves
Young scholars compare and contrast electromagnetic and physical waves. In this wave lesson plan, students discover that all waves reflect, refract, and diffract energy. Young scholars work in small groups to experiment with waves and...
Curated OER
Electromagnetic Wave Spectrum
Fifth graders examine electromagnetic wave spectrum. For this science lesson, 5th graders discuss the aspects of the electromagnetic wave spectrum and complete a worksheet identifying the parts of the spectrum.