Lesson Planet
Search educational resources
  • Sign In Try It Free
  • AI Teacher Tools
    • Discover Resources Search reviewed educational resources by keyword, subject, grade, type, and more
    • Curriculum Manager (My Content) Manage saved and uploaded resources and folders To Access the Curriculum Manager Sign In or Join Now
    • Browse Resource Directory Browse educational resources by subject and topic
    • Curriculum Calendar Explore curriculum resources by date
    • Lesson Planning Articles Timely and inspiring teaching ideas that you can apply in your classroom
    • Our Story
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Testimonials
    • Contact Us
  • Pricing
  • School Access
    • Your school or district can sign up for Lesson Planet — with no cost to teachers
      Learn More
  • Sign In
  • Try It Free

Hi, what do you want to do?

Create a lesson plan
Create a lesson plan
Generate resources with 80+ AI teacher tools
Generate resources with 80+ AI teacher tools
Search 200,000 instructional videos
Search 200,000 instructional videos
Find a teaching resource
Find a teaching resource
Understanding Waves Lesson PlanUnderstanding Waves Lesson Plan
Publisher
Curated OER
Curator Rating
Educator Rating
Not yet Rated
Lesson Plan

Understanding Waves

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Students perform 3 hands-on activities to help them explain the terms "crest" and "trough" as related to sound, water, and light waves. All three waves types have troughs and crests. The activities use toys to demonstrate the properties of waves.

3 Views 1 Download
Concepts

light waves, light, sound waves, sound

Additional Tags

light waves, sound waves, water waves, science
Show More Show Less

Resource Details

Grade
3rd - 5th
Subjects
Science
2 more...
Resource Type
Lesson Plans
Audience
For Teacher Use
Instructional Strategy
Inquiry-Based Learning

See similar resources:

Lesson Plan

Understanding Waves

Curated OER
Learners examine the physical properties of waves to explore the word crest and trough. They use toys to study waves in air, water and light.
3rd - 5th Science
Lesson Plan

Sounds Like Great Science!

Curated OER
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...
3rd Visual & Performing Arts
Unit Plan

Earthquakes: Third Grade Lesson Plans and Activities

Curated OER
Introduce third graders to energy waves with a hands-on geology activity, in which they answer questions and compare seismograms in the San Francisco Bay area. After a demonstration that shows how bigger waves indicate a...
3rd Science
CCSS: Adaptable
PPT

How Do You Light Up Your World?

Curated OER
A fabulous presentation on light is here for you. In it, learners view slides which cover many important concepts of light. They understand exactly what light is, what the main sources of light are, what opaque, transparent, and...
4th - 5th Science
PPT

How Do You Light Up Your World?

Curated OER
A tremendous presentation on the properties of light. Young scientists are treated to slides which share a lot of fascinating information about light. This impressive PowerPoint is filled with great photos, graphics, and discussion...
4th - 6th Science
Instructional Video

PS4A - Wave Properties

Bozeman Science
Does your lesson plan for wave properties have its ups and downs? Get some fresh ideas from an informative video! The narrator discusses PS4A, showing the must-know ideas for each grade level through concept maps and demonstrations.
10 mins 1st - 12th Science
Lesson Plan

Seeing and Feeling Sound Vibrations

Curated OER
Groups rotate through a series of stations and work with a partner to observe sound waves. Children describe sound in terms of pitch, volume, and frequency. To apply their new knowledge, the class considers how these observations can...
3rd - 5th Science
Interactive

Study Jams! Sound

Scholastic
Listen in as Mia and Sam expound on sound. It is caused by vibrations and travels in waves. It has the qualities of pitch, frequency, and volume. This hip animation displays a graph to depict the frequency and amplitude of sound waves....
4 mins 4th - 8th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Interactive

Study Jams! Light

Scholastic
Let there be light in your classroom with a video that explains that light travels in waves, the electromagnetic spectrum contains seven colors, and the color of an object depends on which light waves it reflects and absorbs. With...
4 mins 3rd - 6th Science
CCSS: Adaptable
Activity

Sound Design

Museum of Science
Hear about a great resource on sound? An interesting hands-on activity has learners construct a device that will soundproof a phone or speaker. They test out different materials to see which ones best absorb sound waves.
K - 6th Science
Try It Free
© 1999-2026 Learning Explorer, Inc.
Teacher Lesson Plans, Worksheets and Resources

Sign up for the Lesson Planet Monthly Newsletter

Open Educational Resources (OER)

  • Health
  • Language Arts
  • Languages
  • Math
  • Physical Education
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • Special Education
  • Visual and Performing Arts
View All Lesson Plans

Discover Resources

  • Our Review Process
  • How it Works
  • How to Search
  • Create a Collection

Manage Curriculum

  • Edit a Collection
  • Assign to Students
  • Manage My Content
Contact Us Site Map Privacy Policy Terms of Use