| Making Waves |
| Grades 5-6 |
Lesson #16 (Okay for lower grades with modification) |
| Modifications to Video |
There have been several changes to the lesson plan
since the video was made. This lesson plan reflects the latest changes made as a result of
suggestions from teachers who have presented the lesson during the daytime program. Please
continue to send us your ideas! |
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Click here to view Making Waves Video |
| Educational Objective |
The students will be able to label the parts of a wave. They will be able
to explain in their own words amplitude, frequency, and waveform. Associated Standard and CORE Objectives:
- 3060-0103 - Identify sources of sound.
- 3060-02 - Students will describe the characteristics and movement of sound.
- 3060-0203 - Demonstrate characteristics of sound.
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| Materials List |
- 1 - Waveboard with string
- 2 - Mounted tuning forks
- 6 - Doppler tubes
- 1 - Oscilloscope with microphone
- 1 - Strobe light
- 15 - 6 ft. ropes
- 1 - Slinky
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View lesson on separate page |
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Lesson |
| Introduce waves and wave form |
Introduce waves and wave form. Ask the students where they have seen or
experienced waves. Talk about the sea and sand in the desert. Tell the students
how sound travels in waves. Introduce the parts of a wave: crest, trough,
wavelength, and node. The crest is the highest point on the wave. The trough
is the lowest point on the wave. The
wave length is the distance between two successive crests (or troughs).
A node is a point on the wave that does not move.
Simply put, sound waves are vibration patterns (oscillations) that are
transmitted by vibrating molecules. That's why sound travels better through
water than air; the molecules are closer together.
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| Talk about how waves |
Talk about how waves must travel through a medium. Waves in the ocean
travel through the water. Waves in the desert travel through the sand. Sound
waves travel through the air. Have a student help you demonstrate this with
the
Slinky. Have the students in pairs use the ropes to make waves (the
rope is the medium). Have them demonstrate and identify the parts of the
wave.
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- Introduce the three basic qualities of a sound wave:
- Frequency = Pitch
- Amplitude = Loudness
- Waveform = tone purity
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| Frequency |
- Frequency is how many waves there are per second. Frequency relates to pitch. A
high note or sound has a higher frequency than a lower note or sound. Use
the waveboard to demonstrate changes in frequency. Use the Doppler
tubes to demonstrate that the speed (frequency) at which they are
spun determines the pitch.
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| Amplitude |
Amplitude is how high and low the wave moves from the middle. Amplitude determines
loudness or softness. A soft noise has a small amplitude; it does not move
very far up and down from the horizontal. A loud noise has a
large amplitude; it moves a lot from the horizontal. Use the waveboard
to demonstrate changes in amplitude. Amplitude can also be demonstrated by
striking the tuning fork and moving the oscilloscope microphone closer and
farther away.
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| Waveform |
Waveform is the shape of the wave. A pure note or tone will have a simple shape;
a complicated note or tone will have a complicated shape. The waveboard only
allows simple waveforms. Introduce the oscilloscope. Oscilloscopes
show sound waves. Use the oscilloscope to demonstrate complicated
waveforms.
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| Talk about how waves |
Talk about how waves can be mixed. Sometimes this increases the amplitude
of the wave. Sometimes it distorts the waveform. Sometimes it cancels out
parts of the wave. This can sometimes be seen on the oscilloscope.
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| Use the waveboard to create |
Use the waveboard to create a wave. Review frequency. Using the strobe light,
demonstrate how we can match the frequencies of the light and the wave. When the wave appears to stand still, the frequencies are the same.
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| Sounds can cause other objects |
Sounds can cause other objects to vibrate. (This is called sympathetic vibration.) Use the tuning forks to demonstrate how the sound of one tuning fork causes the other to vibrate.
After hitting one fork with the mallet, put your hand on it to stop the vibration. You should be able to hear the other fork vibrating very softly.
You can also have a student touch the other fork and feel that it is vibrating.
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| Call attention to the career |
Call attention to the career fields that are related to this module. Discuss how students might prepare for occupations
that interest them.
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End of Lesson |
| Definitions |
- White Noise: the mixture of all kinds of frequencies (as white light is
the mixture of different colors of light).
- Amplitude: how high and low the wave vibrates.
- Frequency: how many vibrations (waves) per second.
- Wavelength: the distance between two successive crests of the wave.
- Crest: the highest point on the wave.
- Trough: the lowest point on the wave.
- Waveform: the shape of the wave.
- Node: the points on the wave that don't move.
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| Equipment Operation |
- Oscilloscope - This instrument "captures " sound
waves and lets you view them on the screen. It is calibrated for the best
possible display. The Junior Engineering staff can help if needed. The
microphone provided with this module is very sensitive to sound.
- Strobe light & Waveboard - The wavelength on the waveboard
can be adjusted by changing the speed of the motor.
Turn on the stroboscope with the forward knob or power button. Adjust the frequency
of the strobe with the dial on the back. Adjustment permits one to find the
string frequency. Turn off the classroom
lights for the full effect.
- Tuning Forks - Both tuning forks are the same pitch so that one vibrating will cause the other to vibrate.
They also work well in conjunction with the oscilloscope to demonstrate
waveform and pure tone.
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| Safety Factors |
The students swinging the Doppler tubes need ample space. Make sure the students don't move
around while the lights are off to minimize the possibility of injury.
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| This lesson relates to the following |
Career Fields: Technical Occupations
- Acoustical Engineer: Design and implement devices that convert sound to a form suitable to be transmitted over
radio waves and be reproduced through loudspeakers. They design studios, halls, and other public facilities where people
go to hear and see movies, concerts, plays, and other forms of entertainment. They must also deal with sound levels and
noise pollution. Education: Bachelor's Degree
- Audiologist: They examine and provide services for persons with speech and hearing disorders. They plan and
conduct programs that aim to restore or improve communication. They give and interpret tests for hearing and speech, as
well as develop client treatment plans and provide language therapy. They also work with educational, medical, and
social groups to coordinate test results. Education: Master's Degree
- Broadcast Technician: They set up, operate, and maintain the electronic equipment used to transmit radio and
television programs. They control audio equipment to regulate volume level and quality of sound during radio and television
broadcasts. They may switch from one camera to another, from film to live programming, or from network to local programs.
They also give technical directions to studio personnel. Education: Post-secondary applied technology education
* Taken from VGM Professional Careers Series: Careers in Engineering
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| Review Questions |
- In relation to sound waves, what is amplitude? Is it a measure of how
loud the noise is? What is frequency? How is it affected by pitch? What is
wave form?
- What are the four parts of a wave pattern?
- Name some examples of media through which waves may travel.
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