Waves Carry Energy, Not Matter

Waves Carry Energy, Not Matter Worksheet (Grade 6 Science, TEKS 6.8C)

Students build a scientific explanation from real observations. In a class investigation, a ribbon on a shaken rope only moves up and down while a paper cup at the far end falls over, and a duck in a tub bobs in place while the ripples make a cork at the far side bob.

What's Inside

• A Big Question box: "How can a wave carry energy but not the medium?"
• A results table for a rope test and a tub test
• Activity 1: Students choose a claim, check two pieces of evidence, and choose the best reasoning
• Activity 2: Students label four sentences as claim, evidence, or reasoning
• A visual answer key with answers marked in red

How Teachers Use It

Use it to wrap up TEKS 6.8C or as practice for TEKS 6.8C. The sheet takes about 10 minutes, needs no prior knowledge, and prints clearly in black and white.

This worksheet is part of the Reading in Science series for grade 6. It supports TEKS 6.8C: explain how energy is transferred through transverse and longitudinal waves. It is one of five connected TEKS 6.8C sheets: what a wave is, transverse and longitudinal waves, parts of a wave, sorting waves, and a claim, evidence, and reasoning task.

Why It Works

Each sheet opens with a Big Question, teaches the key terms in plain words with simple black-and-white doodles and clear wave diagrams, and then asks students to use only what the page taught. The vocabulary stays tight to what the standard needs, and the visual answer key lets teachers check work fast.