Drexel Lesson Plan Template

Lesson Plan Format

Teacher: Amy Brown
Grade: Fourth
Content Area: Science - Waves Unit - Lesson Three

1. Content and Standards:

 4-PS4-1. Develop a model of waves to describe patterns in terms of amplitude and

wavelength and that waves can cause objects to move.

2. Prerequisites:

 Students should have the background knowledge covered in the previous lessons (up to
lesson 3) about waves.
o What are waves?
o How do they travel?
o Know the anatomy of a wave.

3. Essential Questions:

 What do waves look like?

 How can we describe a wave?

4. Materials and Equipment:

 Science journals
 YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE520z_ugcU
 Skewers
 Scissors
 Jelly babies
 Duct tape
 Rulers or template for one inch or template for two inches
 Pencils
 Partner work paper
 Graph paper template for partner work
 Graph paper template for individual assessment
5. Instructional Objective:

 “Students will know the anatomy of a wave and demonstrate their understanding by
making a diagram of a wave that is labeled with the following parts. line of origin, the
wave itself, more than one crest, more than one trough, wavelength and amplitude.”

6. Instructional Procedures:

 Before: Review the anatomy of a wave. Go over the rubric for the 2D model of a wave.
o We will watch the video of the jelly baby wave machine

 During: Students are going to be split into two groups. Each group will create their own
wave machine, like on the video we watch.

Each group will:

 Attach the duct tape on one side of each table, making sure it’s taut.
 Students will take turns measuring or using a template to measure either one or
two inches, placing a skewer and adding a jelly baby to each side of each
skewer.
 Continue this process until the wave machine is complete.

Whole group Discussions:

 Either as small groups or whole gr will practice making waves with the machines
and we will discuss what is happening and any differences we see between the
two machines. We will try taking some jelly babies off to see how the part of the
machine without the jelly babies moves quicker. We will discuss that the jelly
babies are mass, and that will less mass the waves are quicker. We will discuss
how the whole machine moves without any of the parts moving down the
machine, which shows that energy, and not matter, moves through waves

Partner work:
 Students will be working in groups of two or three to label a 2D wave on graph
paper while waiting for their turn to measure and add the skewer to the machine.
The students will count the number of squares on the graph to answer the
questions on their 2D wave sheet.

 After: Students will independently draw and label a wave on graph paper following the
corresponding rubric.

7. Assessment:

 Students will independently complete a 2D model of a wave on graph paper that follows
the rubric provided. The following parts will be present and labeled: line of origin, the
wave, multiple crests, multiple troughs, wave length and amplitude. To meet the
objective, each student will score a B or better on the model, according to the rubric.
8. Differentiated Instruction:

 Differentiated in product of assessment: students may verbally explain and show a

teacher (by pointing) where each part of the wave is on a 2D model of a wave that isn’t
labeled.
Directions:

Use the graph paper provided to draw a 2D model of a wave and label the parts listed below.
You may use your science journal for assistance.

Each person in the group must draw and/or label at least three parts of the wave. If you’re in a
group of three, you may only be able to do two, that’s okay.

After the wave is complete on the graph paper, please answer the questions below the table as a
group. That means that you read the question and discuss what you each think the answer is,
then DECIDE what the answer is together. You must agree before writing the answer or write
what each person thinks and why.

Write the person’s name who completed each task on the graph paper.

Label the line of origin

Draw the wave (at least 4 waves)

Label the crest

Label the trough

Label the amplitude (use an arrow)

Label the wavelength

Label each frequency (1,2,3)

1. How many squares on the graph paper is the amplitude of the first wave?

2. How many squares on the graph paper is the wavelength of the first two crests?

3. Are there any errors on the graph paper 2D wave model? If yes, list out and explain the

errors.
 Rubric: 2D Model of a Wave

D C B A
There is no crest There isn’t a crest that There is one crest and There are at least two
present in the model is clearly labeled it’s properly labeled crests and one crest is
properly labeled
There is no trough There isn’t a trough There is one trough There are at least two
present in the model that is clearly labeled and it’s properly troughs and one
labeled trough is properly
labeled
The line of origin -------------------- ---------------------- The line of origin is
isn’t clearly labeled clearly labeled.
Amplitude is not The amplitude isn’t The amplitude is The amplitude is
represented in the clearly labeled labeled, but not properly labeled with
model shown with an arrow an arrow or line
or line
Wavelength is not The wavelength isn’t The wavelength is The wavelength is
represented in the clearly labeled labeled, but not properly labeled with
model shown with an arrow an arrow or line
or line
Frequency is not Most of the frequency Some of the The frequency is
represented in the waves are not labeled frequency in waves properly labeled with
model properly are labeled properly a number for each
wave