Make Waves

Carol Bible                    Carter Elementary
1905 W. Wabansia               5740 S. Michigan
Chicago IL 60622               Chicago IL 60637
(312) 384-5656                 (312) 535-0860

Objective:

Students in grade six will discover, through exploration, the basic 
characteristics of waves. 


Materials Needed:

wave machine                   Tuning fork
Ripple tank                    Oil 
Funnel                         Plastic bottle (one per student)
Bucket                         Paper
Cookie Sheet                   Sand
Water                          Food coloring
Slinkies                       Spring

Strategy:

Opening Activity:  Students will come to the front of the room and lock arms. 
The teacher will pull and push on the first person in a side to side motion 
thus creating a longitudinal wave.  Then the teacher will pull and push on the 
first person in a forward and backward motion creating a transverse wave. 
Students will be asked for their observations.  Students will then be asked to 
tell of any personal knowledge of the different types of waves.
Students will divide into cooperative groups and explore six stations.  A 
recorder will write down any discoveries or observations made by the group. 

Students will be divided into groups of four.

Stations
1. Wave machines- Students will explore bell wave machines.  These are available 
   at most high schools. 
2. Ripple tank- Students will observe the patterns that water waves make.
3. Students will fill a funnel with sand and observe patterns made when the 
   funnel is set in a swinging motion and the paper is dragged under it.
4. Students will observe water wave characteristics in a large bucket of water 
   and in a shallow cookie sheet.  Students will observe waves in a shallow 
   medium and in a deep medium.
5. Students will observe a tuning fork placed in a cup of water.  The water will 
   splash showing vibration.
6. Students will make a wave in a bottle by filling a plastic bottle with a 
   mixture of oil, water and food coloring.

Group Activity: Teacher and students will explore waves through observing the 
motions of various slinkies and springs.

Performance Assessment:

Reporters from each group will report the discoveries each group made at the six 
stations.  The teacher will record these observations on the blackboard.  The 
group will summarize their results and come to a consensus with regard to their 
observations of waves.  Students will be asked to describe the characteristics 
of waves and give a definition of a wave on paper.