Shealy Callahan and Maeve Zimmer
Wave Wonders
Exploring the Spectrum of Wavelengths
For a Successful Lesson
This lesson is aimed at 6th grade students
Ideal for students who have a strong understanding of graphs, how to plot them, and are looking to expand their knowledge! But, have not seen waves before or have only seen them in a limited context. (This lesson should allow for them to meet some of the Massachusetts Grade 6 Standards)
Movement based approach
This movement based approach will be more engaging for students, as they would not be just watching waves be drawn or drawing them themselves; they would be physically moving to embody the wave and seeing their classmates embody the wave.
Resources
The only resource needed for this lesson is paper! We have tried to make this lesson as accessible as possible, by trying to limit costs without compromising the lesson! Resources for further learning is linked at the end of the lesson!
OVERVIEW
Amplitude, Wavelength, Frequency, and Period. How do changing these characteristics affect the wave?
Characteristics of a Wave
01
How does changing one characteristic change the others? How are these characteristics connected?
Connections of Characteristics
03
Sine and Cosine, as well as color. What characteristics do these applications have?
Examples of Waves
02
Parts of a Wave
Take a few minutes to have the students draw their own wave functions!
The height of a wave, which indicates how much energy it has. How high are the Crests of the wave?
Amplitude
Characteristics
The distance between identical points on two consecutive waves, such as the distance between two Crests or Troughs.
Wavelength
The time it takes for a wave to complete one cycle.
Period
The number of waves that pass through a point in a unit of time.
Frequency
How quickly a wave moves.
Speed
How to Set-Up Embodied Learning Activity
Have student line up in two (or more lines). Each line of students should hold hands. Lines should face each other so students can see the other line.
Consider using a hallway or outdoors if more space is needed.
Start the Activity!
Instruct students to create a wave down the line by moving their arms up and down. Start by asking the student on the end of the line to “send” only one wave and work up to a continuous wave.
Change up the WAVE
Provide cues to the line of students that integrates the vocabulary into the activity
Examples:
“Now pretend you are moving through honey and slow down the speed of the wave”
“Move your arms super high at the top of the wave and very close to the ground at the bottom of the wave to create a wave with a large amplitude.”
“Spread out away from the students next to you while still holding hands. Start the wave again which now has a larger wavelength.”
Comprehension Check
Stop to talk about what the students noticed as the wave or in watching the other line of students.
Opportunity for Assessment
After enough practice, can the students be given an instruction on a characteristic to change about the wave and work together to make the wave.
Dive Deeper
Introduce the spectrum of visible light. Different colors have different wavelengths.
Assign lines different colors. Guide the students as each line making a wavelength that is shorter/longer than the other line depending on which colors they are.
Dive Deeper (pt .2)
Introduce frequency to students.
Ask the student at the end of the line to count how many waves they complete with their arms. You may present the activity as a race between lines for the most number of waves or ask the students to move slowly.
Time the students for one minute. After the minute is up, ask the students on the end how many waves they counted. Acknowledge their answer as a frequency and present some numbers of the frequency of light or sound waves to give students a sense of the magnitude of those waves.
EXIT TICKET
Translate learning to traditional representations of waves with an exit ticket.
Thanks !
Further Resources
https://science.nasa.gov/ems/09_visiblelight/
https://www.britannica.com/science/wavelength
https://www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/scitech/2016-04/STE-Standards.pdf
https://phys.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/University_Physics/University_Physics_(OpenStax)/University_Physics_III_-_Optics_and_Modern_Physics_(OpenStax)/07%3A_Quantum_Mechanics/7.02%3A_Wavefunctions