The Wave is based on a true incident that occurred in a high school history class in Palo Alto, California.

A teacher creates an experimental movement in his class to help students understand how people could have followed Hitler. The results are astounding. The powerful forces of group pressure that pervaded many historic movements such as Nazism are recreated in the classroom when history teacher Ben Ross introduces a "new" system to his students. A highly disciplined group is created, modeled on the principles of the Hilter Youth, that has its own salute, chants, and special ways of acting as a unit. 'The Wave' sweeps beyond the class and throughout the school, evolving into a society willing to give up freedom for regimentation and blind obedience to their leader.

And as most of the students join the movement, Laurie Saunders and David Collins recognize the frightening momentum of "The Wave" and realize they must stop it before it's too late.