Name: Diane Judd
School: Southeast Elementary School on PAWS Science Bus
Grade Level: Fourth Grade
Time Length of Lesson: 45 Minutes
Grouping Plan for Teaching:  Whole Group

   (Notes for Teacher: Sound Facts - Sound is caused by vibrations.  When vibrations cease then sound stops.  A sound wave is a chain of vibrating molecules.  Frequency is the number of times that a sound wave vibrates in a second.  The frequency and pitch (the high or low of the sound) depends on how fast an object vibrates.  The short rubber band vibrates quickly and produces a high pitch.  Intensity or amplitude is the volume or the loudness of sound.  The intensity depends on the force of the compression or the amount of force used to make the object vibrate.  Sound travels 4 times faster through water than air, and 18 times faster through steel that than through air.)

Lesson Objective(s):  Students will be able to explain that sound waves are effected by its frequency and pitch.  (The faster the vibrations, the higher the pitch.)  Students will also be able to explain that the intensity of the sound wave depends on the force of the compression or the amount of force used to make the object vibrate.

QCC Standard(s):  (1.) Grade Level: Fourth Grade;  (2.) Subject: Science;  (3.) Number: 15;  (4.) Topic: Energy and Its Transformation: Sound ;  (5.) Standard: Investigates the relationship between attributes of waves and qualities of sound.  Connects attributes of waves (wavelength and frequency) to attributes of sound (pitch, intensity).

Materials: Tuning fork or U-shaped wire; pan for water; rubber bands; frame for rubber band instrument; balloons; plastic straws; scissors, and data table for information.

Technology Connection:  Quality Core Curriculum Lesson Plans for Sound; Internet resources for "Sound"; and  see a Movie on "Sound"
 

Lesson Development
Beginning Attention & Interest Focus:  Pass around seashell and have class note that you can hear sound when you hold the seashell up to your ear.  What makes the sound inside a seashell?  Tell class that we are going to study sound and we are going to try and figure out what makes the sound in the seashell before the class is over.

Introduction:  Discuss with students the expected good manners that it takes to work in the PAWS science bus.  Students will be working in groups doing their activities.  Ask students to discuss positive ways of they can be a group worker.  Discuss that there is "sound all around."  Everyone listen to the sounds we can hear when everyone is quiet and when we are concentrating on hearing sounds.  Have students identify and/or describe sounds.  Teacher will demonstrate that when a rubber band is plucked that it makes a sound, but when the vibrations are stopped there is no sound.  Demonstrate that a rubber band can have many sounds hold rubber band loose (thick, low frequency-low pitch, example, man's voice) and pluck it, then make rubber band tighter (thin, high frequency-high pitch, example woman's voice) and pluck it.)  Student can hit the cake pan to make sound.  Ask student to make the sound of the cake pan to have a high intensity (loud). Ask students what made the sound when using the rubber band or cake pan? (Student answer, "Vibrations") Ask what are vibrations?  (Student answer, "Something moving")  What causes the movement?  (Student answer, "Energy")  Therefore, energy causes ________ (vibrations) and vibration causes __________(sound).  Let students fill in the blanks.

Modeling:  Sometimes when people have difficulty hearing, they need more amplitude.  How do they use their hands with their ears to increase their amplitude to hear better?  (Student answer, "Cup them around ear")  Let's see if that works.  Everyone cups their hands on their ears and listens.  Ask, can you hear better?  Why?  (Student answer, "Sound bounces off hands toward ears or sound is directed into ear")  Now cup your hands over your ears.  Can you hear a different sound?  What do you think is making the sound different?  (Student answer, "Vibrations inside the cavity formed by cupping your hand over your ear")  Now try it with both hands cupped over one ear.  Does the sound have a greater amplitude?  (Student answer, "Yes")  Ask why?  Student answer, "More space for more vibrations")  Does that give you an idea about the sound we hear in the seashell?

Guided Practice: Teacher demonstrates that you can see sound waves by using tuning fork or U-shape wire.  Hit the tuning fork or U-shape wire so that it is vibrating and put it in a pan of water to show that the vibrations make the water move in waves.  Ask the students what happened in the water from the vibrating metal?  Could you see the frequency of the vibrations?  Fast or Slow

Independent Practice:  Divide class into 6 groups, each group will complete all three activities.  Teacher will explain the three activities and assist groups as needed.  Students will work in groups to complete the 3 activities and write their discoveries and findings in their data tables.

Activity 1- Rubber Bands Make Music

The rubber band music board will be used by the students to discover what causes the rubber band to make different sounds.  Students will pluck the rubber bands and compare the sounds made by each rubber band.  They will write their observations and findings in their Data Table. Teacher will note if students are listening and identifying the sounds as high or low pitch and frequency of vibration. (short rubber bands are high pitch, high frequency or fast vibration) (long rubber bands are low pitch, low frequency or slow vibration) Activity 2- Balloons, Water, Air  Sound

Students in this group will listen to sounds through balloons.  Each students will take turns holding a balloon next to one ear and another student will tap the balloons as softly as they can.  First hold the balloon filled with air next to your ear while someone in your group taps it as softly as they can.   Then the student will hold the balloon filled with water next to his/her ear and the student will tap the water balloon the same as the air balloon.  Each student in the group will take a turn listening to the sounds and will write their observations and findings in their Data Table. Teacher will note if student are listening for the differences in the intensity of the sounds.  Does air or water produce a greater amplitude or louder sound?  (water) Activity 3- Musical Straws

Students will make musical sounds through straws.  Each student will flatten the end of a straw and cut a point on the top end about 1/2 inch long (this forms a reed).  The students will trim their straws at the bottom end to make each straw a different length (about an inch difference in each one e.g., 8", 7", 6", 5", etc.).  Students can take turns blowing through the pointed top of straw (reed) to make a musical sound.  Notice the length of the straws and the sounds they make.  Students will write their observations and findings in their Data Table. Teacher will note if students are listening for the frequency of vibrations and how it relates to the length of the straw.  Long straw low frequency-low pitch and short straw high frewuency-low pitch. Assessment: Teacher will observe students during the class discussions and as they work in their groups to complete their activities.  After the groups have completed their activities, students will discuss their findings.  The students will explain how frequency and pitch made the sounds different in the Rubber Bands Make Music activity (see note above).  Students will discuss how the sound intensity was greater in one balloon than the other (water). Teacher will assess the students through observations, discussions, and students' written findings recorded in the Data Tables.

Closure:  Discuss with students the many sounds in our world.  Some of the sounds are natural (e.g., birds singing; wind blowing and the leaves vibrating to produce sound) and some sounds are not natural (e.g., cars; lawn mowers; refrigerators).  Think about musical sounds made by vibrations.  (Can as students)  Drums vibrate by ________hitting them.  Woodwinds vibrate through a_________ reed, like our musical straws.  A flute's sound comes from _________blowing air across the mouthpiece. The sound of a violin comes from the ________strings vibrating.

Ask students: If we want a rubber band to have a high frequency or pitch, will we select a long or short rubber band? (Short)  Why?  Because it vibrates faster.  Why does it vibrate faster?

If we wanted the sound wave of the cake pan to have a high intensity, would we hit it hard or soft?  (Hard)  Why?  (The greater the force or vibrations, the greater the intensity.)