Energy of Waves Complete Science Lesson - New TEKS 6.8C

This complete unit gives middle school teachers everything needed to teach how energy is transferred through transverse and longitudinal waves and their properties, including frequency, wavelength, and amplitude. The resource includes editable presentations, worksheets, student-choice projects, a differentiated station lab, and assessments. Designed for multiday instruction with minimal prep, the lesson emphasizes student-led, differentiated learning so teachers can focus on supporting mastery.

Essential Question for Students

• How is energy transferred through transverse and longitudinal waves?

Standards Alignment: Meets 2021 TEKS standard 6.8C.

Key Features

• Differentiated materials to support students at varying levels

• Multimodal activities to keep students engaged and motivated

• Maximum flexibility—resources available in both printable and digital formats

• Editable PowerPoints for customization

• Spanish translations of vocabulary, a station lab passage, and interactive notebook pages

Instructional Framework: The 5E Model

This lesson is designed around the 5E instructional model—Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate—ensuring a balance of inquiry, guided practice, and assessment.

Engage

• Objectives and Word Wall Cards (English & Spanish)

• Teacher file with discussion prompts, engaging activities, and common misconceptions

Explore

• A nine-station, student-led lab introduces the properties of waves and how energy is transferred

Input Stations:

• Explore It! – Hands-on demonstration or experiment

• Read It! – Differentiated passages (English & Spanish) with comprehension checks

• Research It! – Guided online activity with structured follow-up

• Watch It! – Short video with comprehension prompts

Output Stations:

• Organize It! – Categorization and card sort activities (printable and digital)

• Write It! – Written responses to open-ended questions

• Illustrate It! – Drawing/sketching wave properties to reinforce learning

• Assess It! – Vocabulary-in-context and mastery-based questions

Bonus Station:

• Challenge It! – Crosswords, puzzles, games, and mini-projects for enrichment or early finishers

Explain

• Editable PowerPoints in both standard and interactive formats

• Interactive Notebook templates (digital & print, English & Spanish)

• Guided note-taking organizers

Elaborate

• Student-choice projects on transverse and longitudinal waves to extend or apply learning

Evaluate

• Assessments updated for STAAR 2.0, available in standard and modified versions

• Review worksheets and questions for practice, homework, or class discussion

Flexible Learning Options

This resource is designed for both in-person and virtual classrooms. The digital station lab and interactive notebook activities are fully compatible with PowerPoint and Google Slides, making them easy to adapt for blended or online learning environments.

This is a finished product; it will be updated with corrections as needed. Future improvements and new features will be sold as a separate product.