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Sound Waves

First Graders have been doing many activities to see how sound travels and is made. They know that a vibration makes a sound. They know that sound travels in waves through the air.

Understanding Vibration and PitchSometimes sounds are pleasant to listen to, like two voices singing in harmony or the trickling of water in a brook. Other times they are unpleasant, like a loud fire alarm or the screeching of chalk on a blackboard. Have you ever wondered what sound is and how we differentiate among various sounds? This video segment, produced for Teachers' Domain, includes sounds that many of us hear every day.

Pitch: Straw KazooIn this video segment adapted from ZOOM, two cast members make a simple musical instrument from a straw. Through their exploration, they discover that pitch--how high or low a sound seems--can be altered by simply shortening the straw. This demonstrates the direct relationship between pitch and the amount of vibrating air contained in a musical instrument.

Sound and Solids: Listening StickThough air is the most common medium through which we hear sound, the vibrations that cause sound are transmitted through other substances as well. In fact, most solids and liquids conduct sound waves more efficiently than air and other gases do. Need to see it to believe it? Watch this video segment adapted from ZOOM as cast members test the sound-conducting qualities of a yardstick, a baseball bat, and a golf club. This video is available in both English and Spanish audio, along with corresponding closed captions.

Sound and Solids: Stereo HangersThough air is the most common medium through which we hear sound, the vibrations that cause sound are transmitted through other substances as well. Watch -- and listen -- closely as cast members from ZOOM demonstrate that solid objects actually conduct sound waves more efficiently than air does. All it takes is a metal hanger and some string. This video is available in both English and Spanish audio, along with corresponding closed captions.

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