Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan
Grade: 10 Date: 17/01/2026
Subject: Physics
Lesson Topic: Know that a medium is needed to transmit sound waves
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe why sound requires a material medium to propagate.
  • Explain how compression and rarefaction transmit sound energy through particles.
  • Compare the speed of sound in solids, liquids, and gases.
  • Predict what happens to sound in a vacuum.
  • Identify everyday examples of sound transmission in different media.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector or interactive whiteboard
  • Speaker or tuning fork for demonstration
  • Balloon and sealed container (vacuum demo)
  • Handout with speed‑of‑sound data
  • Printed diagram of a longitudinal wave
  • Worksheet with comparison table
  • Laptop with sound‑simulation software
 Introduction:
Begin with a short video of a silent space scene, asking students why we hear no sound. Recall that previous lessons covered wave properties and that sound is a mechanical wave. Explain that today’s success criteria are to explain why a medium is needed and to compare sound speeds in different materials.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5'): Quick quiz on wave types; identify which are mechanical.
  2. Mini‑lecture (10'): Explain compression and rarefaction using the projector and a tuning‑fork demo.
  3. Interactive simulation (8'): Students explore a web app showing sound speed in air, water, and steel and record observations.
  4. Group activity (12'): Using balloons and a sealed container, test sound transmission versus a vacuum and discuss results.
  5. Guided worksheet (10'): Complete a table comparing speeds and answer conceptual questions.
  6. Check for understanding (5'): Exit ticket – one sentence describing why sound cannot travel in space.
Conclusion:
Summarise that sound needs particle interaction, so a medium is essential, and that speed varies with elasticity and density. Invite a few students to share their exit‑ticket answers. Assign homework to research a real‑world application of sound in a non‑air medium, such as sonar or ultrasound.