TE 407: Lesson and Unit Plan Guide

Name: Dominic Held / Partner:
Mentor Teacher: / School:

Part I: Information about the Lesson or Unit

Topic: Waves

Type of Class

  • Ninth grade physical science class.

Abstract

This lesson will introduce waves to the students. Students will write in their own words what a wave is and give examples of waves. We will discuss the parts of waves including wavelength,frequency, and amplitude. Through a brief demonstration students will observe how waves are created by an input of energy which is transferred from molecule to molecule. We will discuss how wavelength is inversely proportional to a wave’s frequency when its velocity is constant. The lesson will end with a review of the lecture and a preview of the next lesson.

Part II: Clarifying Your Goals

Big Ideas

Waves are all around us. Waves in the ocean, sound waves, crowds doing “the wave”, and light are all examples of waves. Some waves need a medium to travel through while others do not. Waves travel faster through denser materials. Waves have a crest and a trough. Wavelength is the measure between crests or troughs.Frequency is the rate each wave crest passes a point in a given time. Amplitude is a measure from the tip of a crest to halfway to the trough. When wave speed is constant and wavelength is increased frequency will be lowered.

Experiences, Patterns, and Explanations

Observations or experiences (examples, phenomena, data) / Patterns (laws, generalizations, graphs, tables, categories) / Explanations (models, theories)
We’ve all seen waves at the beach
Our favorite radio station, 91.7 is set in our car radio under a number.
Light Waves
Radio Waves
Seismic Waves / These waves move with a velocity and have a length between waves.
These numbers represent the station’s frequency in mega Hertz. / A waves speed can be determined by it’s wave length and frequency.
91.7 MHz means 91,700,000 vibrations per second
Application: Model-based Reasoning – using models/theories to explain experiences
Inquiry: Finding and Explaining Patterns in Experience

Objectives for Student Learning

Objective / Type / Stage(s) in Learning Cycle
Michigan Objectives
1. P4.4A Describe specific mechanical waves (e.g., on a demonstration spring, on the ocean) in terms of
wavelength, amplitude, frequency, and speed. / Using / Modeling
2. P4.4d Demonstrate that frequency and wavelength of a wave are inversely proportional in a given medium. / Constructing / Coaching
Specific Lesson Objectives
1. P4.5A Identify everyday examples of energy transfer by waves and their sources. / Telling the story / Establishing the problem

Part III: Classroom Activities

Materials

PowerPoint presentation

Dominoes

Wave worksheet

Activities

Power Point lecture on waves

Wave demonstration with dominoes

Worksheet on waves

Introduction (3minutes)

Start power point. What is a wave? What are examples of waves? Students begin answering these two questions on the worksheet.

Main Teaching Activities (10minutes)

Demonstration with dominoes, that makes an analogy between molecules in a wave and the wave in the dominoes. Parts of waves and their symbols are discussed. The formula for wave speed, frequency, and wavelength is introduced.

Conclusion (2 minutes)

The lecture will end with a review of the main points of the lecture and a preview of the next topic.

Part IV: Assessment of Students

Developing Assessment Tasks

Included in this lesson is a worksheet that students will begin in class and finish at home. During the lecture students will be prompted to answer questions on their worksheet. The rest of the worksheet would be collected and discussed the next day. These worksheets not only assess the students’ comprehension of wavelength, wave velocity, and frequency, it also gives insight on students thinking during the lesson. The worksheet also connects to the students’ lives through experiences like lightning and thunder to students’ interests like their favorite radio station. Another important feature of this worksheet is that it prepares the students for the next lesson.