Lesson Plan - Wave Properties: Amplitude, Frequency, and Wavelength
This lesson introduces your child to the three key wave properties: amplitude (the height of a wave), frequency (how often a wave happens), and wavelength (the distance between wave peaks). These ideas are part of physics and explain how waves work in things like sound, light, and even mobile signals. Many children hear these terms in school but don’t always understand what they mean.
That’s where this home lesson comes in. I’ve broken the topic into simple parts, added fun and creative tasks, and included plenty of discussion ideas for you to work through together. You don’t need any special knowledge—everything is explained clearly and in plain English. Whether your child is 8 or 16, they’ll come away understanding how waves shape the world around us. All you need is curiosity, paper, and a bit of time.
This topic is part of our Info Zone collection. You can read the full topic, once logged in, here: Wave Properties: Amplitude, Frequency, and Wavelength
You’ll also find a full Lesson Plan and a handy Parent Q & A sheet, for this topic, ready to use..
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Lesson Plan Wave Properties – Amplitude, Frequency, and Wavelength |
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| Overview | This lesson explores the three main wave properties in physics: amplitude (wave height), frequency (how fast waves repeat), and wavelength (distance between wave peaks). It's based on the learning resource at Lenara.uk and is designed for home learning across a wide age range. |
| Learning Objectives |
- Understand what waves are and how they move - Identify and explain amplitude, frequency, and wavelength - Connect wave properties to real-life examples |
| Estimated Time | 45–60 minutes |
| Starter Activity |
Ask your child: “What things in our world move like waves?” Watch water in a glass, shake a rope, or play music and feel vibrations. Then ask, “What do you notice happening?” |
| Read and Learn |
Read the article “Wave Properties: Amplitude, Frequency, and Wavelength” on Lenara.uk together or aloud. Discuss:
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| Activities |
Comprehension Questions:
Hands-On Task: Use string or a skipping rope. Make waves by wiggling one end. Ask your child to spot the crest, trough, and midline. Measure how far apart the waves are and how tall they are. Everyday Example Hunt: Ask your child to list 5 examples of waves they’ve seen or heard today (e.g. a radio, a voice, sunlight, ripples in a pond, Wi-Fi). |
| Deeper Thinking |
Big Question: “If we couldn’t hear or see waves, what would life be like?” Talk through it. Try to imagine a world without light or sound. Could we communicate? Could we even survive? |
| Creative Projects |
- Draw a cartoon showing a wave labelled with amplitude, frequency, and wavelength - Create a board game where each space teaches something about waves - Write a short comic strip about “Captain Amplitude” saving the world using wave energy |
| Review & Reflect |
Ask your child:
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| Extensions & Homework |
- Watch a video about how sound or light travels in waves - Explore wave types on YouTube (search for “longitudinal vs transverse waves”) - Try clapping in a big space and timing the echo—discuss why sound takes time to bounce back |