Science Lesson: Sound Lab Experiments

Sound, simply said, is the sensation of hearing something.  We hear the rain, we hear each other speak, we hear the cars drive by on the street.

As teachers, how do we teach our students about sound?

My philosophy is that children learn best be experiencing something through hands-on activities.  Not just by reading through some textbook or article.

Below you will find three Science activities regarding sound.  Each may be adapted for a variety of grade levels.

• Directions for students:

1.  Use your pencil to poke a hole through the bottom center of two cups. 

2.  Cut a string to the length you would like to test the strength of.  (Your string may be UP TO seven feet long.) 

3.  Pull one end of the string through one cup.  Tie the string to a paper clip. 

4.  Take the other end of the string and pull through the second cup.  Tie this end to another paper clip. 

5.  Take turns practicing to see if and how your phone cups work!

• Possible Follow-Up Questions:

1.  Does your phone work?  If yes, why do you think you were successful?  If no, why do you think this experiment was not successful? 

2.  What was easy about creating the phone cups?  What was hard?

3.  When did you hear your partner best?  Was the string pulled tight or loose? 

• Directions for students:

Build the circuit design of YOUR CHOICE using the instructions booklet. However, the design you choose MUST include sound.

• Possible Follow-Up Questions:

1. Where did the speaker (sound box) get its energy from?

2. Draw a picture of your circuit board.

3.  Water Glass Xylophone

• Directions for students: 

1.  Line up the glasses.  (Note: Teacher should buy between three to five glasses.)

2.  Fill each glass with a different amount of water, leaving one empty. 

3.  Use a metal spoon to tap on each glass.   

4.  Take turns trying to create your own song using the glasses as your instrument.

NOTE for students:  Do NOT fill ANY glass to the rim.

• Possible Follow-Up Questions

1.  Explain the differences you hear among the glasses.

2.  Draw a picture of each of your glasses, showing which had the loudest and lowest pitches.

3.  Do you think anything would be different if we used a liquid different from water?

After all experiments are finished, teachers may want to ask their students which sound lab was their favorite. What made it so enjoyable?

I know I would MUCH rather learn by experiencing rather than be lectured. Allow your students to discover the wonder of sound for themselves!  I have taught Science to 5th and 6th graders, and these experiments all worked, and the students loved them!

HAVE FUN!

* Created November 22nd, 2010 KG