Ben Ross, a school social studies teacher, shows his class a film about the Holocaust.
Ross continues the next day by introducing The Wave, which he describes as a youth movement with a secret salute and membership card.
By the end of the week, Robert has developed confidence and authority and reports unorthodox behavior to Ross and the other Wave members.
Other students are bullied by members and voice concerns to parents and administrators, who in turn complain to Ross.
The following day, Ross tells students that the Wave is a real youth movement taking place in schools all over the country.
Ross assures Robert and the rest that there is - and much to the students' shock and horror - the monitors suddenly display a film of Adolf Hitler leading a Nazi rally.
Ross tell them that this is their leader and that the experiment proves how quickly a group can give up their individual beliefs.
Ron Jones article and the TV movie's screenplay were the basis of the 2008 German film Die Welle.