Thanks for checking out this lesson by The Two Science Teachers.
This practice problem-set follows our TpT lesson Wave-Energy-and-Speed.
“Wave Energy and Speed” challenged students to analyze and interpret graphical displays of data, identify variable relationships and introduced the speed formula to calculate wave speed.
This activity, Wave Speed Equation Practice Problems, uses real-life information about sound and EM waves in word problems to promote use and understanding of the variables in the wave speed equation.
Students should be able to use scientific notation and have an instrumental understanding of the wave speed equation before doing this set. These ten practice problems were designed to promote relational understanding of both mechanical and EM waves. Students will use the equation and their background knowledge of the relationships between speed, frequency and wavelength along with real-life information to solve for an unknown variable in a new situation.
Students focus on the NGSS Disciplinary Core Idea of PS4.A: Wave Properties.
• MS-PS4-1. Students apply simple mathematical wave model to a physical system or phenomenon to identify how the wave model characteristics correspond with physical observations.
• HS-PS4-1. Use mathematical representations to support a claim regarding relationships among the frequency, wavelength, and speed of waves traveling in various media.
Included in your purchase:
· three student use pages that include ten practice problems
· two “print-and-cut” equation pages
· A completed answer key showing all solutions
The Two Science Teachers have been teaching Physics, Chemistry and Biology for many years. We find ourselves, like every other teacher, constantly designing and tweaking lessons and looking for additional resources to fill in the gaps for some students. We all know the importance of intentionally teaching students the “Habits” of problem solving and designing solutions in science – like visualizing, or sketching, the problem/situation FIRST, listing the variables you know and want to find, showing your work so that you can use it as evidence for your solution, and using units throughout so you can double check for accuracy, etc.
It takes a lot of modeling, practice and feedback at first but the structure it provides for the rest of the year(s) is definitely worth it! Having students consistently use picture and physical models in their work helps to instill these habits.
We want to share some of the work that we’ve been doing these past few years. We hope that you’ll try this lesson in your classroom. Please send us feedback about what worked, what didn’t work, what you’d like to see or have changed so that we can better reach the needs of students in the future.
Thanks for checking out Two Science Teachers!
