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Science lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 60 minutes

Waves carry energy, not the water itself

Light, sound and waves

CCSS NGSS.4-PS4-1England: KS3 Physics: Waves (observed waves)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Waves carry energy, not the water itself.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Parts of a wave: crest, trough, amplitude and wavelength

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Slinky or rope, Mirrors and torches, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 6 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Parts of a wave: crest, trough, amplitude and wavelength). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. True or false? Amplitude is measured from the middle line, not from the trough. (True / False) → TruePrompt: Two are points (top and bottom); two are distances (across and up).
  2. True or false? Wavelength is measured from one crest to the next. (True / False) → TruePrompt: Two are points (top and bottom); two are distances (across and up).
  3. True or false? Wavelength is the height of a wave. (True / False) → FalsePrompt: Two are points (top and bottom); two are distances (across and up).

Hook · 6 min

  • Ask the class to make a wave with a rope or slinky and describe what moves and what doesn't.
  • Share the objective: Waves carry energy, not the water itself. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 12 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Ocean waves can turn machines that make electricity. What are they using?
  • Step 1: Wave power is a renewable energy resource that captures wave energy.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: the energy the waves carry
  • Answer: the energy the waves carry
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 12 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Drop a stone in a still pond. What carries energy out to the edge? (the stone rolling along the bottom / the fish / the wind / the ripples spreading out in circles) → the ripples spreading out in circlesPrompt: Watch the rings spread.
  2. True or false? Sound is a wave. (True / False) → TruePrompt: What travels with a wave, and what stays behind?

You do: independent practice · 17 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 7 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Waves and energy: which statement is true? (Surfers are carried by water travelling across the whole ocean. / A wave can travel without any energy. / A wave in a rope moves along while each bit of rope moves up and down. / Ripples on a pond carry the stone to the edge.) → A wave in a rope moves along while each bit of rope moves up and down.Prompt: Waves move energy; the stuff they move through mostly stays in place.
  2. True or false? Waves only happen in water. (True / False) → FalsePrompt: What travels with a wave, and what stays behind?

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Parts of a wave: crest, trough, amplitude and wavelength.
  • Use concrete materials: slinky or rope.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-4.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Waves carry energy, not the water itself

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Ocean waves can turn machines that make electricity. What are they using?

    • A. the energy the waves carry
    • B. the salt in the water
    • C. the colour of the sea
    • D. fish swimming past

  2. Question 2

    True or false? Bigger waves carry less energy.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  3. Question 3

    Waves and energy: which statement is true?

    • A. Earthquakes send waves through the ground.
    • B. Surfers are carried by water travelling across the whole ocean.
    • C. A wave can travel without any energy.
    • D. Ripples on a pond carry the stone to the edge.

  4. Question 4

    Drop a stone in a still pond. What carries energy out to the edge?

    • A. the ripples spreading out in circles
    • B. the fish
    • C. the wind
    • D. the stone rolling along the bottom

  5. Question 5

    A rubber duck floats on a pond. Waves pass under it. What does the duck do?

    • A. It bobs up and down but mostly stays in the same place.
    • B. It spins in circles and flies away.
    • C. It is carried all the way to the edge with the waves.
    • D. It sinks.

  6. Question 6

    True or false? Waves transfer energy from place to place.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  7. Question 7

    True or false? Waves only happen in water.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  8. Question 8

    True or false? A floating ball bobs up and down as waves pass.

    • A. True
    • B. False

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Answer key: Waves carry energy, not the water itself

  1. 1. A. the energy the waves carry

  2. 2. B. False

  3. 3. A. Earthquakes send waves through the ground.

  4. 4. A. the ripples spreading out in circles

  5. 5. A. It bobs up and down but mostly stays in the same place.

  6. 6. A. True

  7. 7. B. False

  8. 8. A. True