The novel opens with high school history teacher Ben Ross introducing a new project to his students: an experiment to understand how the Nazi movement gained power in Germany. Ross sets up a strict classroom regime, emphasizing discipline, community, and obedience. He teaches his students to greet each other with the phrase "Strength through discipline" and encourages them to wear white shirts and khaki pants as part of their uniform.
At first, the students are amused and excited by the experiment. They enjoy the sense of belonging and purpose it provides. But as the project continues, the experiment begins to take on a life of its own. The students become increasingly indoctrinated into the Wave ideology, and they start to adopt a more authoritarian and aggressive attitude towards those outside the group.
One of the students, Robert Billings, is particularly drawn to the Wave. He relishes the sense of power and control that it gives him, and he becomes one of the most fervent advocates of the movement. Billings starts recruiting new members, and the Wave quickly grows in popularity.
As the Wave's influence spreads, Ross begins to realize that the experiment is going too far. He tries to put an end to it, but he finds that the students are no longer willing to listen to him. The Wave has become a powerful force, and it is threatening to engulf the entire school.