Subjects: Science, Reading, Speaking and Listening

Project Description: In this PBL we got the opportunity to collaborate with Studio 1. Through a variety of investigations, students learned that a change in vibration causes a change in sound. Students explored sound through water xylophones, Oscillators, Garage Band, chicken noise makers and pan flutes. In our culminating project, students got to decide between designing an instrument, creating a Stomp performance, or composing a piece of music to go with a short animated film.

Driving Question: How can we as musicians explore sound?

Student Work: Students created digital sound books. In these books, students were able to create interactive diagrams of the ear, show different types of musical instruments, and provide examples of sounds with a high or low pitch. Students also created instruments, designed short animated films using Keynote & Garageband, and created a stomp performance.

Short Animation Film

How do film scores help tell a story? Students investigated this idea by making their own short animation films. We began by creating a story that had a beginning, middle, and end. Then we sketched our ideas and animated them through Keynote. After that students were able to compose a piece a music through Garageband, that helped tell the story they created.

STOMp Performance

How can we use everyday objects to create sound? Students used materials found around the school to create different sounds. After investigating these materials, students created a one of a kind stomp performance.

instruments

How are instruments made? Students learned about how vibrations make sounds by creating instruments. Students created either a drum, guitar, or rainstick. They customized their instruments and then learned how to play them.

Drums

Guitar

Rainstick

digital Soundbooks

All About Sound

Students used Keynote to create an interactive book all about sound. Students learned about the different musical groups through reading, listening, and exploring with different instruments. They also researched about vibration and how we can hear sounds.