Physical Processes 1.4 Sound

Sc4: Physical Processes

1.4 Sound

P.O.S.

Key Stage 1 Sc 4: 3c, 3d

Key Stage 2 Sc 4: 3e, 3f, 3g

Key Stage 3 Sc 4: 3g, 3h, 3i

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
  • To be able to identify common sounds and sound sources.
  • To be able to use the scientific vocabulary when talking about sounds and how they are made.
  • To be able to demonstrate how notes of different loudness and pitch can be produced.
  • Can explain the difference between pitch and volume
  • To know that sound travels in all directions and through objects
  • To know that sound has to enter the ear and ears are used to hear sound.
  • To know that materials can be used to reduce vibrations entering the ear.
  • To be able to identify parts of an ear.

ICT

  • Use a sound sensor and data logger to measure sound.
  • Use a music processor to experience changing pitch and loudness.
  • Use a tape recorder/synthesiser to make and record sounds.
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LINKS

Music /

VOCABULARY

Loud, louder, soft, softer, high, low, quiet, faint, fainter, bang, tap, pluck, scrape, shake, vibration, sound, vibrate, pitch, strike, taut, sound sources, solids, liquids, gases
ACTIVITIES
  • Go for a “sound” walk around school.
  • Make a tape of sounds for children to identify.
  • Make a collection of objects that can make sounds (not just musical instruments) e.g. musical instruments, wind chimes, objects in containers, radios Make up a story with sound effects.
  • Sort and group instruments by the way they are played (shaken, plucked, blown etc)
  • Sort sounds in a variety of ways e.g. happy, sad, funny, scary.
  • Make a list of warning sounds
  • Make instruments using every day materials or different sandpapers e.g. foil, bubble wrap, corrugated card, sandpaper.
  • Make a sound map of school
  • Play ‘Pass the Instrument’ – each child has to make a different sound with it.
  • Make a sound collage
  • A collection of objects in sealed containers – can children guess what they are by the sound.
  • In the playground – somebody makes a noise whilst the rest of the class move away and then stop when they can’t hear it any longer.
  • Ring a bell from different parts of the classroom – what do they notice?
  • Take children to a road to listen to traffic. Describe what happens to the sound. Can they still hear when a car is out of sight?
  • Look at sounds in nursery rhymes e.g. if you were at the top of the hill what
would happen to the noise from the bucket as it fell down the hill.
  • Listen to the sound of a siren as it comes closer and then moves away.
  • Use PE apparatus to see if sound goes upwards or downwards.
  • Discuss how they think they hear.
  • What happens to the sound with their hands over their ears?
  • Ring a bell behind a door. How can they hear even though they can’t see the sound being made?
  • Invite a deaf person in to talk about how they hear, lip-read and sign.
  • Do other creatures have ears? Research!
  • Make ear trumpets. Link to animals with large ears.
  • Listen to sounds whilst:
-facing the sound source
-back to the sound source
-hands cupped round ears
-coat hood up and compare differences.
  • Draw a picture of how they think they hear.
  • Discuss what happens if sounds are too loud for too long.
  • Discuss what happens when peas or sand are put on a drum and tapped; a ruler is held on a desk and flicked; a cymbal is hit; a guitar string is plucked.
  • Use drama to simulate a vibration. One child” vibrates” and as he touches another child the vibration is passed on.
  • Hum against a balloon; put a tuning fork in water; suspend table tennis ball on cotton and bring vibrating tuning fork close to.
  • Hold fingers against throat and make different sounds. Are the vibrations the same or different?
  • Wrap greaseproof paper round a comb and place against lips.
  • Strike a tuning fork on a large rubber and then stand on a table. Does the vibration carry on after they have stopped hearing the sound? Try tuning forks on different materials
  • One child talks against a balloon whilst a second touches the other side. Try with a balloon full of water.
  • Change the amount of water in a bottle and observe the sound made as they blow over the top. What is vibrating?
  • Feel a hi-fi speaker whilst it is making a sound.
  • Play notes on a piano, recorder or other instruments and discuss if high or low.
  • Hold a plastic ruler on the table and twang. Alter the amount of ruler of the
edge of the table.
  • Stretch a rubber band over a block or box. Make the sound louder or softer.
  • Use art straws to make pipes. Flatten about 3cm at one end and cut some of each side of flattened section. Alter lengths of unflattened straw.
  • Use a recorder to make loud/soft sounds. Explain how they did this.
  • Hammer some nails into a block so that different amounts of nail are sticking out. Discuss which will have the highest pitch before hitting the nail. Could also use different thicknesses of nails all in by same amount.
  • Sort instruments into those that make high/low sounds.
  • Can sound travel through materials? e.g. tie string to a coat-hanger and hold string to ear whilst coat hanger is being tapped; put ear to ground or on desk; hold a watch on a balloon; ring a bell in the swimming pool (bell and pupils under water).
  • Label a diagram of the ear.
  • Use a model of an ear to show the pathway of sound.
  • Can they hear a watch through a balloon full of air, water and then ice?
  • Send a message through the heating pipes. Where can it be heard?
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RESOURCES

  • Taped sounds
  • Musical instruments, wind chimes, objects in containers, radios
  • Sandpaper, pots, elastic bands, straws, bottles, wooden blocks, dried pulses etc
  • Radios
  • Foil, bubble wrap, corrugated card, sandpaper.
  • Object to make a noise in containers e.g. marbles, sand, rice, cotton wool.
  • Bell
  • Siren
  • Objects to make a sound
  • Bell
  • Guest speaker
  • Research books or CD Rom.
  • Card, sugar paper, sellotape, glue
  • Selection of materials
  • Objects to make noises
  • Drum, sand, peas, cymbal, ruler, guitar
  • Balloon, tuning fork, table tennis ball
  • Comb, greaseproof paper
  • Tuning fork
  • Balloon
  • Hi-fi speaker
  • Piano, recorder, instruments
  • Plastic ruler
  • Art straws
  • Recorder
  • Nails, hammer, block of wood
  • Variety of instruments
  • Coat hanger, string, watch, balloon, bell
  • Balloons, watches
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POINTS TO NOTE

  • Be aware that loud or continuous sound is stressful/painful to some pupils.
  • Very loud sounds can damage the ears.
  • Ensure that wipes are available to clean any instruments which have been blown.
  • Pupils to not always associate ears with hearing.
  • Pupils often associate the action e.g. hitting drum with the production of
sound.
  • Pupils may think that sound only travels in air.

OWN ACTIVITIES

POSSIBLE INVESTIGATIONS
  • Discuss with children whether sound travels in one direction or all directions. Devise a simple test to find out.
  • Discuss how thunder follows lightening and link to speed of light and sound. Send a child some distance away to carry out one action that can easily be seen and make a loud noise. The sound will be heard after the action.
  • Can sound travel round corners? Devise a test to find out.
  • Consider the effect of loud noises on ears and find out which materials are the best sound insulators.

Name:

Date Record Began:

Outcomes: NC Level 1  NC Level 4

1 /
  • Can recognise sounds in their immediate environment.

  • Knows that they use ears to hear.

  • Explains simply why we need warning sounds.

1+ /
  • Can describe how some sounds are made

  • Knows that sound travels away from a source.

  • Can explain how to change the loudness.

2 /
  • Can name different sources of sound and recognise differences between sounds.

  • Begins to link sound to vibration.

  • Can tell you a sound is fainter further from the source.

  • Knows that loud sounds can damage their ears.

  • Can give two examples of where they can see or feel vibrations from instruments.

  • Can make loud/soft sounds using some different instruments.

  • Will be able to describe a vibration in simple terms e.g. small movement or “wobble”.

2+ /
  • Can select materials to reduce sounds entering our ears.

  • Can indicate patterns e.g. the thicker the band the lower the note – with help.

  • Knows that sound travels in all directions.

  • Can make a high/low sound using some different instruments.

3 /
  • Can name some objects that sound can travel through.

  • Knows that vibrations can’t always be seen.

  • Can explain loudness simply in terms of vibrations.

  • Knows that sound travels better through some things than others (“sound conductors”).

  • Can explain simply how sound travels in all directions.

  • Can explain in simple terms how we hear.

3+ /
  • Knows that vibrations make air “wobble” and our ears can detect this.

  • Can describe how to change the pitch.

  • Can explain how some things can affect how well we hear.

4 /
  • Can explain pitch simply in terms of vibrations.

  • Can make generalisations about changing sounds in musical instruments.

  • Can name the main parts of the ear and how these help us to hear.

Further Comments