Teaching Sound Waves – My Daily Schedule

---

A complete, day-by-day schedule of how I teach sound waves to high school students in my own classroom.

The complete Waves and Sound unit can be found here.

If you have any questions, please email me – devon@teachwithfergy.com

Day 1:

• Lesson 1 – Waves: An Introduction (Day 1)

Day 2:

• Projects – These are the two activities I typically give during this unit. I only give one per year.

1. Sound Intensity and Society Project – I typically give my students 2-3 weeks to complete this project
2. The Silencer – I typically give my students 2-3 weeks to complete this project

• Lesson 1 – Waves: An Introduction (Day 2)

Day 3:

• Experimenting with Waves Activity – Day 1
• Lesson 2 – Reflection, Interference, and Transmission (Day 1)

Day 4:

• Experimenting with Waves Activity – Day 2
• Lesson 2 – Reflection, Interference, and Transmission

Day 5:

• Lesson 3 – Standing Waves

Day 6:

• Standing Waves Activity
  • 1/2 period
• Lesson 4 – Sound, Sound Energy and Speed (Day 1)

Day 7:

• Lesson 4 – Sound, Sound Energy and Speed (Day 2)

• Sound applications – Ultrahaptics and Haptics –> Student research the following questions for about 10 minutes then we discuss it as a class. What I’ve done in the past is split the class into groups and have each group research one of the questions then present their findings.
  1. What are they? Difference?
  2. How do they work?
  3. Where can you find them?
  4. What are their future applications?

Day 8:

• Work Period / Catch-up Day

Day 9:

• Sound, Sound Energy and Speed Lab Station Activity

Day 10:

• Tinnitus – Ringing in the Ears Reading
  • Students spend the period reading the article and answering the included questions

Day 11:

• Lesson 5 – Hearing and the Human Ear (Day 1)

Day 12:

• Lesson 5 – Hearing and the Human Ear (Day 2)

Day 13:

• Hearing and the Human Ear Lab Station Activity

Day 14:

• Lesson 6 – The Doppler Effect and Supersonic Travel

Day 15:

• Formula Sheet Prep for Unit Test (15 minutes)
• Test Review
  • Waves and Sound Speed Quizzing

Day 16:

• Waves and Sound Unit Test