About EM Waves and Communication

Highly Recommended
Like all our Science Reasoning Center activities, the completion of the EM Waves and Communication activity requires that a student use provided information about a phenomenon, experiment, or data presentation to answer questions. This information is accessible by tapping on the small thumbnails found on the bottom right of every question. However, it may be considerably easier to have a printed copy of this information or to display the information in a separate browser window. You can access this information from this page. 





The Standards
EM Waves and Communication is an NGSS-inspired task that includes three parts focusing on the sending, encoding, and storage of information by means of electromagnetic waves. Each part of this NGSS-inspired task involves a different type of skill or understanding. Collectively, the three parts were designed to address the following NGSS performance expectation:


HS-PS4-5:
Communicate technical information about how some technological devices use the principles of wave behavior and wave interactions with matter to transmit and capture information and energy.


As a whole, the questions in this task address a wide collection of disciplinary core idea (DCI), crosscutting concepts (CCC), and science and engineering practices (SEP). There are 38 questions organized into 14 Question Groups and spread across the three activities. Each question is either a 2D or (preferrably) a 3D question. That is, the task of answering the question requires that the student utilize at least two of the three dimensions of the NGSS science standards - a DCI, a CCC, and/or an SEP.


The following DCI, SEPs, and CCCs are addressed at some point within EM Waves and Communication:

DCI:  PS4.A: Properties of Waves 
Information can be digitized (e.g., a picture stored as the values of an array of pixels); in this form, it can be stored reliably in computer memory and sent over long distances as a series of wave pulses.


DCI:  PS4.C: Information Technologies & Instrumentation
Multiple technologies based on the understanding of waves and their interactions with matter are part of everyday experiences in the modern world (e.g., medical imaging, communications, scanners) and in scientific research. They are essential tools for producing, transmitting, and capturing signals and for storing and interpreting the information contained in them.



SEP 7.6: Engaging in Argument from Evidence
Evaluate competing design solutions to a real-world problem based on scientific ideas and principles, empirical evidence, and/or logical arguments regarding relevant factors (e.g. economic, societal, environmental, ethical considerations).


SEP 8.5: Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
Communicate technical information or ideas (e.g. about phenomena and/or the process of development and the design and performance of a proposed process or system) in multiple formats (including orally, graphically, textually, and mathematically).


CCC 2.2: Cause and Effect
Systems can be designed to cause a desired effect.

 

Here is our NGSS-based analysis of each individual activity of the EM Waves and Communication Science Reasoning task. The core ideas, crosscutting concepts, and science and engineering practices that we reference in our analysis are numbered for convenience. You can cross-reference the specific notations that we have used with the listings found on the following pages:  

Disclaimer: The standards are not our original work. We are simply including them here for convenience (and because we have referenced the by number). The standards are the property of the Next Generation Science Standards.

 

Part 1: Sending Electromagnetic Waves

This activity consists of 12 forced-choice questions organized into six Question Groups. The questions target student understanding of the mechanics and properties of the electromagnetic wave produced by a cell phone antenna. Students earn the Trophy for this activity once they demonstrate mastery on all six Question Groups. 


NGSS Claim Statement: Communicate technical information about how some technological devices use the principles of wave behavior and wave interactions with matter to transmit information and energy.

 

Target DCI(s)	Target SEP(s)	Target CCC(s)
Properties of Waves  PS4.A Information can be digitized (e.g., a picture stored as the values of an array of pixels); in this form, it can be stored reliably in computer memory and sent over long distances as a series of wave pulses.  Information Technologies & Instrumentation PS$.C Multiple technologies based on the understanding of waves and their interactions with matter are part of everyday experiences in the modern world (e.g., medical imaging, communications, scanners) and in scientific research. They are essential tools for producing, transmitting, and capturing signals and for storing and interpreting the information contained in them.	Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information SEP 8.5 Communicate technical information or ideas (e.g. about phenomena and/or the process of development and the design and performance of a proposed process or system) in multiple formats (including orally, graphically, textually, and mathematically).	Cause and Effect CCC 2.2 Systems can be designed to cause a desired effect.

 

Part 2: Encoding Information

This activity consists of 24 forced-choice questions organized into six Question Groups. The questions target student understanding of how information in cell phone communication is digitally encoded.  Students earn the Trophy for this activity once they demonstrate mastery on all six Question Groups. 
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NGSS Claim Statement: Communicate technical information about how some technological devices use the principles of wave behavior and wave interactions with matter to transmit and encode information and energy.

 

Target DCI(s)	Target SEP(s)	Target CCC(s)
Properties of Waves  PS4.A Information can be digitized (e.g., a picture stored as the values of an array of pixels); in this form, it can be stored reliably in computer memory and sent over long distances as a series of wave pulses.  Information Technologies & Instrumentation PS4.C Multiple technologies based on the understanding of waves and their interactions with matter are part of everyday experiences in the modern world (e.g., medical imaging, communications, scanners) and in scientific research. They are essential tools for producing, transmitting, and capturing signals and for storing and interpreting the information contained in them.	Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information SEP 8.5 Communicate technical information or ideas (e.g. about phenomena and/or the process of development and the design and performance of a proposed process or system) in multiple formats (including orally, graphically, textually, and mathematically).	Cause and Effect CCC 2.2 Systems can be designed to cause a desired effect.

 

 

Part 3: Storing Information

This activity consists of two paragraph completion questions involving the filling in of 4 blanks using words and phrases from a word bank. Feedback is immediate and students have an opportunity to correct their answers. Students earn the Trophy for this activity once they accurately complete both paragraphs. 
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NGSS Claim Statement: ECommunicate technical information about how some technological devices use the principles of wave behavior and wave interactions with matter to transmit and store information and energy.

 

Target DCI(s)	Target SEP(s)	Target CCC(s)
Properties of Waves  PS4.A Information can be digitized (e.g., a picture stored as the values of an array of pixels); in this form, it can be stored reliably in computer memory and sent over long distances as a series of wave pulses.  Information Technologies & Instrumentation PS4.C Multiple technologies based on the understanding of waves and their interactions with matter are part of everyday experiences in the modern world (e.g., medical imaging, communications, scanners) and in scientific research. They are essential tools for producing, transmitting, and capturing signals and for storing and interpreting the information contained in them.	Engaging in Argument from Evidence SEP 7.6 Evaluate competing design solutions to a real-world problem based on scientific ideas and principles, empirical evidence, and/or logical arguments regarding relevant factors (e.g. economic, societal, environmental, ethical considerations).	Cause and Effect CCC 2.2 Systems can be designed to cause a desired effect.