Standard: 1-PS4-1 Waves and their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

Materials:

• Plastic or Paper cups

• String or yarn

• Scissors

• Pencil

• Paper Clips

Extend this Experiment by using:

• Thicker string

• Wire

• Different lengths of string

• Plastic v.s paper cups

Summary: Poke a hole in the bottom of each cup. Put your string through the holes and tie knots (you could also use paper clips) on the inside to keep the string in place (this should be done to both cups). After that have students pair up and let each of them hold one of the cups. Students will then pull the string tight, while one student holds the phone to their ears and the other will whisper or talk quietly from the other side into the cup. Have students switch off so they both can experience what it sounds like in the cup while someone is talking. When we talk our vocal cords vibrate which makes sound waves, the string carries those soundwaves from one cup to another allowing us to hear what the other person is saying.

Science Practices:

• Planning and carrying out investigations (Creating the telephones and using them to do the experiment)

• Constructing explanations (Explaining why they are able to hear the sound through the string and how the vibrations are being created)

• Asking questions (Occurs throughout the experiment, or if they are thinking of ways to use the materials in the extended category to alter the sound)

Crosscutting Concepts

• Energy and matter (Sound energy)

• Cause and effect (Why do different materials(strings, cups, lengths, etc.) alter the pitch

• Patterns (Certain pitch and volume related to different variables)

Focus Questions:

• Why can we hear the other person while talking into the cups?

• What is vibrating to make the noise we hear?

• What does it sound like when someone is talking to you through the cup?

Posted by: Avery Ward

Standard: 1-PS4-1 Waves and their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

Materials:

• Large Bowl

• Metal Spoon

• Plastic Wrap

• 1 tsp uncooked rice

• Metal Pan

Extend (try new material)

• aluminum foil

• cooked rice

• plastic pan

  • • • Did It work? Why or why not? What did you see?

Description: Start by placing the plastic wrap over the bowl (covering the top of the bowl). Make sure the plastic wrap Is secured very tightly. Pour the uncooked rice on top of the plastic wrap. Hold the metal pan in the air and position it next to the bowl. Take the metal spoon and bang on the metal pan like a drum and watch what happens to the rice. (I recommend students record their answers In their science notebooks.)

Focus Questions:

• What did you see?

• Can you see sound?

• What would happen if we changed materials?

  • Is there a material we can't change? (meaning the experiment won't work)

Posted by: Alyssa Costantino

Standards: 1-PS4-1 Waves and their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

Materials:

• Several egg cartons

• Cardboard Box

• Towels/rags

• Tape/Hot glue

• Phone or speaker to make noise

Description: Cut the egg cartons so you have the parts that the eggs rest in. You’ll need enough to line the entire inside of the box. Use tape or a hot glue gun to secure the cartons to the sides of the box, as well as the underside of the lid. You can fill in any gaps with towels or rags. Place the radio or speaker inside the box and turn it on so you can hear the noise. Close the lid of the box. Then listen.

Focus Questions:

• What does It mean if something Is soundproof?

• What do you notice?

• What Is making this box soundproof?

  • If you changed a material what would happen to the box?

• Is the sound getting absorbed? If so, by what?

Posted by: Alyssa Costantino

Materials:

• Pie Pan

• 2 Paper Towel Tubes

Summary:

In this simple project, students will be able to learn about echos and how they work. In an elementary classroom students will find echos fascinating because of course their voices/sounds are repeated back to them. I recommend using this activity when you are further along In your sound unit so students have a better understanding of this concept.

Focus Questions:

• What Is an echo?

• What do you hear when completing this activity?

• What makes someone hear a sound 2 or 3 times?

• How does something echo? Is there a specific thing you need?

Posted by: Alyssa Costantino