PS.2.2.1

Carry out investigations to illustrate how sound is produced by vibrating objects and columns of air.

District Recommended Resources for 2nd Grade Science

Sound

Activity Pack

Sound Kit

Activity Packs available for purchase. Full kit rental options are also available. See your administrator.

Science Phenomena Resources

Other Phenomena Sites

Next Generation Science Standards YouTube Channel

Step 1: Lesson Standards & Learning Goals

NC K-12 Science Supporting Document Grade 2

Dimension 1:

SEP: Plan and Carry Out Investigations:

With teacher guidance, students plan and conduct investigations to predict and observe how sound is created and travels.

Dimension 2:

CCC: Patterns

Dimension 3:

Disciplinary Core Ideas:

Sounds can make matter vibrate, and vibrating matter can make sound (A Framework for K-12 Science Education).

Sample Essential Questions

How is sound produced?
How does sound travel?
What are vibrations?
What are sound waves?

Vocabulary

air column
pitch
sound
sound wave
vibrate/vibrating
vibration
volume (multi-meaning word - note difference when explaining)

Students will be able to...

Conduct investigations (with teacher guidance) to illustrate how vibrations from objects and columns of air produce sound.
Carry out investigations to show how sound is created by vibrating objects and columns of air.
Carry out investigations to explore how sound can change in pitch depending on the length/size of objects and columns of air.
Asking Questions and Defining Problems - Students ask questions based on observations in order to find more information about how vibrations create sound.
Analyzing and Interpreting Data - Students represent data in tables to reveal patterns about the vibration/sound relationship.
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions - Students construct an explanation of the observed relationship between vibrations and sound. Students identify evidence that supports the idea that vibrating objects create sound.

Students will know...

Sound is a vibration, or wave, that travels through matter and can be heard.
Humans cannot hear every sound (high-frequency).
Vibrate means quickly moving back and forth (or up and down).
Vibrating objects produce sound.
Vibration is a type of motion.
Pitch is how high or low a sound is. It is related to the length/size of an object (longer/bigger = lower pitch, shorter/smaller = higher pitch).
The length of an air column determines its pitch: shorter air columns produce a higher pitch and longer air columns produce a lower pitch.
Sound waves are formed when objects vibrate and sound is made. Sound waves can be felt, but not seen.
Volume is how loud or soft a sound is.

Step 2: Assessment

Formative Assessments

Writing Prompts

Sounds in Nature: Take a walk outside. What do you hear? How are these sounds made by things that vibrate in nature, like leaves rustling or birds singing? Write a poem about the sounds you hear.
Musical Instrument: Choose a musical instrument to research. Write an informative essay about the types of sounds the instrument makes and how it makes those sounds. Include content vocabulary such as sound, vibrations, pitch, and volume.
Sound Journal - Keep a journal to draw diagrams and record notes throughout the unit.
- - Prompt: Design an experiment to compare how sound travels through different materials. Record notes about the sounds you hear as you test the different materials. Summarize the results of the experiment in your sound journal.

Mini Projects and Investigations

Making Recycled Instruments: Using consumable materials, build a working instrument!
NASA Sound Lab - What happens when you change the tension of a string phone?
Designing Musical Art to Help See Sound Activity: Visualize sound through a hands-on art activity!
Sound and String Telephones
- Materials Needed: Two paper cups, String (about 3-4 feet long), Sharp pencil or nail.
- Procedure: Poke a small hole in the bottom of each paper cup with a pencil or nail. Thread one end of the string through the hole in one cup and tie a knot inside to secure it. Repeat for the other cup. Have one person speak into one cup while the other person listens through the other cup.
Sound Sandwich (Kazoo)

Culminating Activity

Talking Trumpet!: Design a new instrument that uses vibrations to create sounds. Draw your invention and write a short explanation of how it works. Include content vocabulary such as sound, vibrations, pitch, and volume. Extension - Build the new instrument using recycled materials.
Follow the EDP Process and Template. Link to come.

Step 3: Lesson Instructions