Unit 5F Changing Sounds

Resources needed: Interactive whiteboard, Ginn Science books and CGP Science workbooks Week

Learning objectives
Demonstrate their existing knowledge and understanding of sound.

Activities
Review In groups, children will discuss what they know in relation to sound in terms of sources, vibrations, pitch, tone, general facts etc. Try out musical instruments which make sounds by banging, shaking, plucking, blowing; Share these group ideas with the class and discuss How do different instruments make a sound? Why do dogs and cats move their ears? P.4 Ginn Play the matching sound game http://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/games/sound/index.htm# Introduction Look at the interactive PP which demonstrates examples of sound vibration and different mediums http://www.engineeringinteract.org/resources.htm

Watch Wonder of Sound, The. (13:00) Vibrations Learning Stations showing visible vibrations http://www.nwnet.org.uk/pages/ict_curric/science/science.html Page 1 is good for smartboard Set up sound stations for the children to experiment with. 1. Tuning Fork with water To know that sounds are 2. Different musical instruments made when objects or 3. Drum skin with rice grains on it materials vibrate 4. Plucked elastic band 5. Ruler clamped down and tapped at one end. To make careful Add a couple of stations which show sounds associated with vibrations they can feel but not see observations 1. a cymbal that has been hit 2. a speaker for a stereo system discuss if not possible

To describe what is happening in each of the sound stations To draw conclusions about sounds from their observations To know that vibrations from sound sources travel through different materials to the ear To make careful observations To identify the types of material through which sound travels through

3. Their larynx as they talk. Children draw and write about what they have learnt from their hands on experience. Complete for homework along with watching Sound: A First Look (17:00) Vibrations CGP Pages 1-3 Sound travels through different materials Look at the interactive PP which demonstrates examples of sound vibration and different mediums http://www.engineeringinteract.org/resources.htm Materials Ask children to listen carefully for sounds they can hear which are made outside the classroom. Include sounds which they regularly hear through walls/doors e.g. school bell, children talking in the corridor outside. Arrange for a loud sound to be made outside the classroom and ask children what it has travelled through e.g. bricks, walls, wood, door, air to reach their ears. Use different areas around the school and Record. Where would be the quietest and loudest places be? Does it depend on the time? Show children using a cell phone that sounds can be heard through a variety of materials e.g. putting it in water, sand, a wooden box. Set up learning stations 1. listening to a cell phone on a wooden table by putting their ear to the table, 2. putting their ear to a radiator and hearing the water circulating, using a string telephone. 3. Constructing a string telephone. Ask children to make a table showing the materials tested and whether the sound travelled through them well and discuss what their results show. Watch Breaking the Silence: An Introduction to Sound. Fair testing on Muffling sound http://www.nwnet.org.uk/pages/ict_curric/science/science.html page 2 has some good information and advice on the investigation CGP P.9 has good suggestions too

To know that some materials are effective in preventing vibrations from sound sources

reaching the ear To plan a test to measure or observe how well different materials muffle sound To devise a fair comparison of different materials To decide how to use a sound source and a range of different materials to collect reliable evidence. To write conclusions based on their findings
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Discuss with children why sometimes it is important to prevent sounds travelling. Ask them to suggest how this is done e.g. ear muffs, ear plugs, soft floor coverings. Present the children with a range of materials e.g. bubble wrap, foam sheeting,tin foil, towels, artificial fur, blanket material and ask them how they could find out which would be best for muffling a sound. Ask children to think about and suggest: how they will make fair comparisons of whether the sound is muffled what they will use as a sound source e.g. a mobile phone what they will vary e.g. the material, the number of layers of the material, the area of the material. Help children to carry out what they planned to do in groups Children describe what they did and explain whether they were satisfied that the evidence they collected allowed them to answer the question suggest ways in which their work could be improved eg I should have used a quieter ringtone, it would have been easier to tell if the ear muffs worked Children will record their investigation method and results in a scientific way. Complete for homework if needed.

That the term pitch describes how high or low a sound is To explain how different musical instruments make sound To explain how to make high and low sounds

Pitch and Loudness Take a trip to the Lyso Centre and Grant Boyko, the sound technician will explain how the theatre is designed in a way to project sounds from the stage and then absorb sound in the special walls to prevent them from vibrating and bouncing back to the audience. Look at the interactive PP which demonstrates examples of sound http://www.engineeringinteract.org/resources.htm loudness and pitch Discuss Look and test the interactive musical site http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/9_10/changing_sounds_fs.shtml http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/education/decibel/decibel.asp sound ruler

Ask children to demonstrate playing a range of musical instruments or show children a video of a band or orchestra playing. Stage One Science: Sounds O.K. is a good video

To know that small drums have a generally higher pitch than larger drums To identify that the pitch of a stringed instrument depends on the length, thickness and tightness of the string To suggest how to change the pitch and loudness of the sounds of stringed instruments

Talk with children about sounds made by individual instruments and help them to describe the pitch of sounds using terms eg high, low and the loudness of sounds eg loud, soft. http://www.nwnet.org.uk/pages/ict_curric/science/science.html page 8 http://science.education.nih.gov/supplements/nih3/hearing/activities/lesson3.htm Could be useful Children write and draw about what they have found out. Musical instruments Ask children to play a number of drums to show how the pitch of a drum varies with size and, if possible, how it can be changed by tightening the skin. Ask children to suggest how to make particular sorts of sound eg a high, loud sound and test their ideas. Ask children or others to demonstrate differences in the strings of a stringed instrument and how the note from a particular string can be changed by changing the length of the string or tuned by altering its tension. Illustrate the variety of pitch and loudness by asking children to suggest how to change a sound eg make the string longer and pluck it harder and to test their ideas. Look and test the interactive musical site http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/9_10/changing_sounds_fs.shtml

Dr. Dad's PH3: Episode Four: Sound and Radio. Children describe how musical instruments make different sounds. Draw and write to explain. CGP Page. Homework: Breaking the Silence: An Introduction to Sound (27:00) Vibrating Air

To know that sounds can be made by air vibrating

Show children how to make a sound by blowing across the top of a bottle and ask them to suggest what is vibrating. Ask them to suggest how to change the pitch of the sound eg if you put more water in the bottle the sound will get higher, to test out their predictions, and to record

To suggest how to alter the pitch of a sound made by air vibrating and to test the prediction To listen carefully to sounds made and to record results in a suitable table To know that pitch can be altered by changing the length of air column vibrating

observations in a suitable table or chart. Discuss with children whether the results they collected supported the prediction. Ask children to play high or low notes on a recorder (or other wind instrument) and to describe what they do to alter the pitch. Ask them to relate this to the length of the air column vibrating. Watch Spirit of the Drum. Music of the Caribbean. http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/revision/Science/sound.html sound quiz

Homework Ask children to use secondary sources e.g. CD-ROMs, reference books to find out about other aspects of sound e.g. other musical instruments, soundproofing and to present information to the class. Ask the children questions and encourage them to ask questions of others about the information presented. http://kidshealth.org/kid/body/ear_noSW.html homework on ears and how we hear

End of unit assessment