Waves, Lights and Sounds
Back to ScienceStudents explore the fascinating world of sound vibrations, light sources, and communication through hands-on investigations. They learn how vibrating materials make sound, how we see objects when illuminated, and how light and sound can be used to communicate over distances.
Essential Learning Outcomes
ELO-1Sound and Vibrations
Plan and conduct investigations to provide evidence that vibrating materials can make sound and that sound can make materials vibrate.
Students will:
- Define terms: sounds, vibrate, waves, loud, soft, sign language
- Demonstrate understanding of how to produce sounds
- Compare and describe sounds as loud, soft, pleasant, unpleasant
- Show that sound is a wave-like water
- Investigate how sounds are produced and their effects on objects
ELO-2Light and Vision
Make observations to construct an evidence-based account that objects can be seen only when illuminated.
Students will:
- Define terms: light/darkness, artificial, natural, reflect
- Give examples of light sources in and out of the classroom
- Describe why objects can be seen when illuminated
- Understand that the sun is a natural source of light
- Classify light according to source (natural, artificial)
ELO-3Materials and Light
Plan and conduct investigations to determine the effect of placing objects made with different materials in the path of a beam of light.
Students will:
- Define terms: glass, transparent, translucent, reflective, opaque
- Demonstrate understanding that objects can block varying amounts of light
- Classify objects as transparent, translucent, reflective, or opaque
- Predict which types of materials are best suited for different applications
ELO-4Communication with Light and Sound
Use tools and materials to design and build a device that uses light or sound to solve the problem of communicating over a distance.
Students will:
- Define terms: warning, communicating, siren, emergency vehicle, traffic lights
- Give examples of communicating with sound and light
- Construct simple sound communication devices (cup phones)
- Recognize that communication technologies have varied over time