Sound and Waves Discussion Starters


Sound and Waves Discussion Starters - Educational Innovations NewsletterIf a tree falls in a forest and there’s no one to hear it, will it still make a sound?  This is an old question, but what’s the answer?  Sound can be a difficult concept to portray because the waves cannot easily be seen or touched.  What is sound, and why do we care about it?  There is plenty of vocabulary associated with sound waves, including frequency, amplitude, longitudinal waves, transverse waves… the list goes on.  So how do you introduce and teach this topic?  We scoured the Internet for great ideas.  Hope you enjoy them!

If you have other ideas or websites you’d like to share, please write to us in the Comments section below. Read the rest of this entry »


You Said It! Sound and Waves Product Reviews


Sound and Waves Product Reviews - Educational Innovations NewsletterWe know that teachers are always looking for new ways to demonstrate sound and waves in their classroom.  How do you teach something you can’t see or touch?  We have some great ideas.

Read on to hear what our customers are saying about some of their favorite EI sound and waves teaching tools.  If you have a favorite Educational Innovations product, we invite you to send us a comment below.  We’d love to share your review with your fellow teachers and science lovers.

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Potential and Kinetic Energy Explained


by Arthur Murray

Teaching about potential and kinetic energy is always exciting, whether your students are in kindergarten or college.  There is so much to explore, and the world is full of examples of these types of energy in action.  Any time that you’re chewing gum, typing on your computer, or launching a rubber band into the air…  you are demonstrating potential and kinetic energy in all its glory.

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How Electricity Works: An Animated Guide


by Arthur Murray

Electricity is everywhere!  If you’ve ever experienced a power outage, you know how important this form of power is for our daily life. From brewing our morning coffee to keeping our smart phones charged, electricity is all around us.  It’s the spark of lightning during a thunderstorm or that tiny shock when you touch a doorknob.

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Classroom Coasters, Mazes and More!


Chris Herald

By Chris Herald
NSTA STEM Teacher Ambassador 2017

I always love when Spring arrives because we start physics topics in my eighth grade physical science class!  Don’t get me wrong—my first love is chemistry and I have a Master’s degree to prove it—but there’s just something about physics in the Spring.  My students delve into the topics of speed and momentum with great gusto.  Two highlights?  Rolling marbles down a ruler and designing their own Hot Wheels experiment.  Not only are these students exploring some key physics topics, they are ALSO getting a chance to dabble in engineering:  a great combination!

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