Grade 3

Science
Topic D: Hearing and
Sound Unit Plan

PSIII Internship
Annie L. Gaetz Elementary School
Red Deer, Alberta
Miss Taylor Fox
 Science Unit Plan

Grade: Unit Dates: January 10th March Teacher: Miss

Unit Focus: Hearing and Sound
3 3rd Fox
Overview:
Students explore the nature of sound, its sources, its qualities, and what it is. They learn that sound is vibration
and that changes in vibration can affect the loudness, pitch, and quality of sound. They learn about sound travel
by studying what things carry sound, what things make it louder or softer, and what happens to sound when it
reaches their ears. The sensitivity of human ears and those of others animals is examined, as students learn about
the safe use of this valuable sense.

This unit will be taught on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 2:15 3:00, every second week.
Rationale:
This unit is intended to provide an opportunity for students to explore and understand the role that sound, and our
ability to hear it, plays in everyday life. Through various class discussions, activities, experiments, and
worksheets, students will learn how sound is made, how it travels, how humans and animals hear and process
sound, how sound can cause damage or pleasure, that sound can be proofed or amplified, and finally, how crucial
sound is when communicating with others, which will educate and inform students of the effect that sound has on
them and everything that they do.
Objectives/Learner Outcomes:

GLO:
3-9 Describe the nature of sound, and demonstrate methods for producing and controlling sound.

SLOs:
1. Identify examples of vibration.
2. Recognize that sound is the result of vibration; and demonstrate that the larger the vibration, the louder
the sound.
3. Recognize that there are ways of measuring the loudness of sounds and that loud sounds pose a danger
to the ear.
4. Recognize that pitch is the result of differences in the rate of vibration, and predict how a change in the
rate of vibration will affect a sound.
5. Demonstrate a variety of ways of producing sounds; e.g., by striking an empty glass, by blowing air into a
bottle, by constructing and using a device that involves vibrating strings.
6. Use sound-producing devices that the student has constructed to demonstrate methods for controlling
the loudness, pitch and quality of sound produced.
7. Identify examples that show that sound can travel through a variety of materials, including solids, liquids
and air, and that sound travels in all directions.
8. Describe how the human ear senses vibrations.
9. Compare the range of hearing in humans to that in other animals; e.g., dogs and bats.
10.Recognize that certain sounds have characteristics that cause them to be interpreted as pleasant or
unpleasant, and identify these characteristics.
11.Describe changes in hearing that result from continued exposure to loud noise and from the natural
process of aging.
12.Construct and evaluate different kinds of soundproofing and sound-amplifying devices.
13.Explain the role that sound plays in communication.

Key Teaching and Learning Activities:

Each lesson is framed slightly different, but common learning activities include:
Class discussions that discuss the key term of the SLO being focused on that day.
Youtube videos that enrich the understanding of the topic in many lessons.
Completing worksheets that enrich/confirm understanding of various topics throughout.
Participating in and evaluating various activities and experiments that enrich understanding of various topics
being covered.
 Small assessments (exit-slips, mini-quizzes) that ensure students are understanding the materials being
learned.
Unit test that culminates the unit and tests students on material and information learned throughout the unit.

It is very likely that there is too much planned for many of the lessons in this unit. However, once I learn the
pace of the class, lessons will be modified to better fit the pace and timing of each class.
Resources:
Alberta Education Curriculum
Worksheet Booklet
Lesson Plan Booklet
Kims various resources
Learn Alberta
Edmonton Public School Topic D:
Hearing and Sound Binder
Planning for Diversity: Assessment and Evaluation:
Throughout unit, gauge whether Class discussion
certain students need to fully Observation (participation and
complete worksheets, tasks, etc. to understanding when completing
the extent that other students do. various activities and experiments)
Be sure to focus attention on students Various worksheets certain
that struggle staying on task during worksheets can be pulled as a
class. Monitor and refocus them when summative piece if necessary
needed. Exit slips (to be determined when
When making groups to complete they will be given)
experiments, be sure to pair students Mini-quizzes/review games (to be
that struggle with science or staying determined when they will be
focused with students that are given) summative
proficient at it and are able to keep Instrument (rubric) summative
themselves and others focused and Instrument Presentation (rubric) -
on task. summative
KWL Chart
Jeopardy game
Unit Test summative

Assessment/Evalu
Dat ation
SLO Teaching and Learning Activities Resources Materials
e (Formative &
Summative)
Jan Pitch and Sound Waves Lesson plan Pitch Class discussion
10 4 Review what a vibration is and how it booklet worksheet Observation
relates to sound from last class Kims resources Youtube Worksheet
(vibrations cause sound to occur). Youtube videos
 Discuss pitch and how it relates to DK Find Out Smartboar
vibrations (pitch is how high or how low a d
sound is, high pitched sounds vibrate fast DK Find
and low pitched sounds vibrate slow, out
low=slow). webpage
Watch a short video that explains pitch
really well and uses some examples that
students already know, and some that
they probably dont.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=yMLTF_0PAQw (make note of the ruler
used in the video to the similar
experiment that students completed
before)
Listen to some examples of high and low
pitches to help understand the difference
between them.
High pitch:
o Piccolo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=kc8WZbAWE1w (first 23
seconds)
o Baby crying:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=n2DO4mby5ds (start at 10 secs,
play for 15
Low pitch:
o Whale call:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=jJGeeryk0Eo
o Cow moo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=gu1K5iQTrCQ
After listening to the videos, discuss with
students what differences they notice
 between high and low pitched sounds.
Make sure to highlight that a sound may
sound like a low pitch sound, but when
compared to another sound, it may have
a higher pitch, making it higher in terms
of pitch. This is important!
Have students record three high pitched
sounds and three low pitched sounds on
their worksheet (not in worksheet
booklet, will need to be stapled in). They
are more than welcome to use examples
other than what we just discussed, as
long as they are correct. Also fill in the
blanks regarding vibration in relation to
pitch.
Next discuss sound waves in relation to
pitch and vibrations. Sound travels
through the air as sound waves in all
directions. We cant see these waves, but
they are all around us. Different sounds
make different types of waves.
Sound waves look like squiggly lines
(draw on board). Discuss wavelength.
o Wavelength: high pitched sounds
have short wavelengths, low
pitched sounds have long
wavelengths
o Show students this webpage to
students to explain wavelength
further.
http://www.dkfindout.com/uk/scien
ce/sound/pitch/
Draw a few sound waves on board and
get students to guess whether a high or
low pitched sound is being drawn.
 Get students to draw what high and low
pitched sound waves look like on their
worksheet.
11 Loudness and Sound Waves Lesson plan Whats Class discussion
3 Discuss loudness. What does loudness booklet that Observation
mean? Students should be able to get Kims resources Noise?? (activity/experiment)
this quite easily. Worksheet Worksheet Worksheets
Complete What that Noise?? Experiment. booklet Bouncy
o Explain that nine materials will be Bouncy Balls balls
tested for their loudness (dropping website website
a book, snapping fingers, clapping, DK Find Out! DK Find
shouting, whispering, slamming a Website out!
door, stomping feet, music playing, Youtube Website
electric pencil sharpener). Book
o Students will predict on their Music
worksheet the volume level of Electric
these sounds (loud, medium, soft). pencil
o Test all materials and organize on sharpener
board according to volume level. Smartboar
Once all materials are tested, d
record final order on worksheet. Sound
Use https://bouncyballs.org/ to Volume
measure volume? worksheet
o Fill in questions at bottom of sheet.
Discuss sound waves again. Review from
last class how high and low pitched
sounds waves look.
Explain amplitude and how it relates to
loudness. Quiet sounds have a low
amplitude and loud sounds have a high
amplitude.
Draw sound waves on board and ask
students whether they are loud or quiet
sounds.
Show students this webpage to explain
 amplitude further.
http://www.dkfindout.com/uk/science/sou
nd/loudness/
Get students to record three loud and
three quiet sounds on their worksheet
and then draw what loud and quiet sound
waves look like on their worksheet.
The Ear Youtube Youtube Class discussion
8 Explain that ears are how we hear, so an Childrens video Observation (Re-
important part of this unit is learning how University Interactive enacting sound
the ear works, so we know how we hear Lesson plan ear movement through
sounds. booklet website ear and function of
Watch this video: Kims resources Smartboar parts)
https://www.youtube.com/watch? d Worksheets
v=CSO765hyxrc (discuss after the main Master 12 Quiz (interactive ear)
parts of the ear and important info from and 13
the video) worksheet
Go through interactive ear with students: s
http://www.childrensuniversity.manchester.ac
12 .uk/media/services/thechildrensuniversityof
manchester/flash/ear.swf (read and follow
along, label and take quiz as a class)
Have students act out how sound travels
through the ear and explain main
purpose of each
Use Master 12 in worksheet for info as
well
Fill in Master 13 (backside) throughout
Get students to label ear on Master 13,
discuss cilia as well
Fill in last part of Master 13 in pairs (use
word bank) and then go over as a class
23 Decibels and Hearing Loss Dangerous Websites Class discussion
3, 11 Discuss how our ears can get hurt from Decibels YouTube Observation
sounds that are too loud and that we activities video (activities)
 need to protect our ears from harmful Worksheet Smartboar Worksheets
sounds. Quickly brainstorm harmful Booklet d
sounds. Lesson plan Safe
Discuss hearing loss. What is it? What booklet Hearing
does it mean? Kims resources Chart
Show students this fun clip to see how YouTube Where is
good their hearing is. the Noise?
https://www.youtube.com/watch? And
v=VxcbppCX6Rk Master 15
Complete middle section of Where is the worksheet
Noise worksheet. Use lesson plan booklet s
for answer key.
Introduce the term decibel. Give some
examples of decibels that humans can
hear. Reference the hearing chart in the
worksheet booklet.
Complete Whats That Sound? activity to
replicate hearing loss
http://dangerousdecibels.org/virtualexhibi
t/1whatsthatsound.html
Discuss how we can protect our ears from
damage (record on Where is the Noise?
Worksheet)
Complete How Loud is Too Loud? activity
to show sounds that can damage our ears
http://dangerousdecibels.org/virtualexhibi
t/3howloudistooloud.html
While completing this activity, students
will complete Master 15 worksheet (not
included in worksheet booklet, will need
to be stapled in)
24 Pleasant vs. Unpleasant Sounds Worksheet Master 36 Class discussion
10 Discuss both terms. What do they mean? booklet and 37 Observation (working
Are they different/same for every person? Lesson plan Worksheet in class)
Use smart pleasant/unpleasant sorting booklet s Worksheets
 game that I have Kims resources Sorting
Complete Master 36: do the first few as a game
class, then get students to complete the
rest on their own. Go over once students
are done.
When reviewing Master 36, place sounds
into categories on Master 37. I will write
them all in on smartboard or board, but
students will only have to record a few for
each.
Have students create questions and
answers that will be used for a review
game that will be played as a whole
class. Students can work in groups to
create questions and answers using their
worksheet booklet, knowledge they have
learned so far in this unit, and guidance
as to what their questions should entail.
Students will hand questions and answers
in to be summatively assessed and then
will be put into a review game for the
whole class. This activity may need a
separate lesson, or could be split up
among a couple/few lessons.
25 Producing Sounds Worksheet Master 26 Class discussion
5, 6 Review pitch (high pitched sounds have booklet and Observation
fast vibrations, low pitched sounds have Lesson plan Panpipe (activities)
slow vibrations) Discuss examples of booklet worksheet Worksheets
each. Kims resources Water
Discuss quality of sound and loud and Water
soft sounds. Use fuzzy vs. clear radio as bottles
an example for quality. Food
Discuss ways that sound can be produced colouring
(body and otherwise). Metal
strikers
Do panpipe activity. Explain to students
 what a panpipe is and show a video of Straws
what they sound like and how each pipe Tape
plays a different sound. Scissors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=9rECGiBzspA Discuss pitch after
watching video.
o Show students an exemplar of
what they will be making.
o Hand out materials to students
(precut? straws, tape) and instruct
students how to make their own
panpipe.
o Then demonstrate how to blow on
panpipes to make different notes.
Get students to test their own
panpipes and discuss what is
happening while doing so.
o Fill in the blanks on panpipes
worksheet. Use lesson plan booklet
for answer key.
Complete Water Pipe Organ activity (have
bottles set up ahead of time and ready to
be tested. Set up two stations for each
experiment).
o First experiment is filling up bottles
with coloured water and taping
them with metal striker at water
level. Get students to answer
associated question on worksheet.
o Second experiment is filling up
bottles with water and blowing on
them. Get students to answer
associated questions on
worksheet.
o Come together as a class and
 discuss experiments. Fill in the rest
of the worksheet.
Instrument Creation/Testing Worksheet Instrumen Observation
Information will be previously sent home Booklet t (creation and
about each student creating an Letter/info materials testing)
instrument from recycled materials that home to from Planning sheets
6 can create different volumes and pitches. parents home
Students will plan out their instrument at Lesson plan Planning
home including what materials they will booklet sheets
use, what their instrument will look like, Kims resources Glue
and how they will create different Tape
26 volumes and pitches (use Master 21?) Master 21
In this class, students will construct their worksheet
instruments based on their planning ?
page.
Construction of the instruments will most
likely take all class, but if they complete it
before class is over, they can start testing
their instruments to see if they can
repeatedly create different volumes and
pitches.
Instrument Creation/Testing/Presenting Worksheet Instrumen Observation
6 After building their instruments last class, Booklet ts and (creation and
students will either continue to create Lesson plan their testing)
Feb their instrument and/or test it. booklet materials Planning sheets
6 If students are progressing along nicely, Kims resources Tape Rubric instrument
they will also be able to present their Glue and presentation
instruments to the class. But, if students Planning (summative)
need the whole class today to build and sheets
test their instruments, presentations can Master 21
take place next class. worksheet
Students will be summatively assessed ?
on their instrument as well as their Rubrics
presentation of it. (instrume
nt one is
 in orange
folder,
Kim has
presentati
on one)
7 Sound Travel Lesson plan How Well Observation
7 Discuss with students again how sound booklet Does (experiment)
travels in waves and how these sound Kims resources Sound Class discussion
waves move in ALL different directions, Youtube Travel? Worksheet
not just one. When sound waves travel, Worksheet
they push against molecules. Therefore, Youtube
sound travels faster through solids, than video
liquids or air, because the molecules are Smartboar
close together. Discuss what molecules d
are if students do not know. Water
Show students video about sound Soil
traveling through different mediums: Sawdust
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc- Table
iw1UQFOQ Pause throughout to discuss Bags
and try some of the experiments done
in the video.
Complete experiment that will test sound
moving through different materials.
o There will be four stations set up
around the classroom (sawdust,
water, table, soil) and students will
be split up into four groups.
o Students will fill in How Well Does
Sound Travel worksheet (on my
computer) at every station. They
will fill out their prediction
beforehand, their observation at
each station and then their
conclusion based on what they
observed. All students will fill out
 worksheet.
o Students will hold up materials (in
a bag) to their ear and get another
group member to tap on the bag.
Each group member will take turns
until everyone hears how well the
sound travels through the material.
o Students will be given about 5
mins at each station.
o Once students have gone through
each station, come back as a class
and discuss what happened at
each station and go over
worksheet. What did students
observe? Basically, sound travels
through solids the fastest, then
liquids, then air. Easy for vibrations
to move faster when molecules are
close together.
Have students create questions and
answers that will be used for a review
game that will be played as a whole
class. Students can work in groups to
create questions and answers using their
worksheet booklet, knowledge they have
learned in this unit since the last review
game, and guidance as to what their
questions should entail. Students will
hand questions and answers in to be
summatively assessed and then will be
put into a review game for the whole
class. This activity may need a separate
lesson, or could be split up among a
couple/few lessons.
 Sound Amplifying Worksheet Magnifice Class discussion
12 Discuss sound amplification (amplifies or booklet nt Observation
makes a sound louder). What do amplify Lesson plan Megaphon (activity/experiment)
and prevent mean? (fill in at bottom of booklet es Worksheet
Magnificent Megaphones! worksheet). Kims resources worksheet
Discuss what megaphones are at what Model
they are used for. Why might we amplify megaphon
sound? e
Get students in partners and get them to Paper
stand far apart and whisper/speak softly Tape
to one another. Can they hear their Markers/p
partner? Fill out first question on encil
Magnificent Megaphones! worksheet. crayons
Discuss as a class possible hypothesis for
the experiment. What do they think the
megaphone will do to sound?
Complete megaphone activity.
8 o Show students an example/model
of a megaphone.
o Hand out paper and tape and get
students to decorate and create
their own megaphones.
o Students will then get into their
same partner groups and whisper
to their partner while using their
megaphones. Can you hear your
partner better now? Complete
second question on the worksheet.
After the experiment/activity, come back
as a class and discuss the purpose of
megaphones and what students noticed
about them. How do megaphones change
the volume of a sound? Fill in the blanks
on the worksheet. Use lesson plan
booklet for answer key.
 Soundproofing Lesson plan All Class discussion
12 Discuss soundproofing (resistant to booklet soundproo Observation
passage of sound, sound is muffled). Kims resources fing (activity)
Explain that it is the opposite of sound materials Soundproofing
amplifying. Discuss examples of materials (cotton worksheet
that proof sound. Reference lesson on balls,
sound traveling through different states blanket,
(sound moves slower through liquids and Styrofoam
air, so these materials would soundproof pellets,
better than solids). newspape
Complete soundproofing experiment. r, bubble
Students will be split up into different wrap,
groups and each group will try to foam
soundproof a box using a specific sheets,
materials (cotton balls, blanket, and
Styrofoam pellets, newspaper, bubble stuffing)
9 Music/tim
wrap, foam sheets, and stuffing).
o Students will predict which one er on
they think will soundproof best phone
(use my worksheet, will need to be Worksheet
added to booklet). Tape
o They will then soundproof their Glue
boxes as a group using their
assigned material.
o Discuss the process of
soundproofing as a class.
o Boxes will then be tested to see
which one soundproofs the best,
students will record their
observations while we test.
o Students will then fill in conclusion
section of worksheet.
27 Communication Lesson plan Master 39, Class discussion
13 Get students to discuss in partners booklet 40, 41, Observation (partner
different ways that we communicate and Worksheet Communic work, signing)
 the role that sound plays in booklet ating Worksheets
communication. Kims resources Sounds
Have students share what they discussed worksheet
with their partners and record ideas and s
points on Master 39. Smartboar
Then discuss with students how we use d
things other than words to communicate,
like sirens, bells, etc.
Get students to quickly fill out
Communicating Sounds worksheet (will
need to be added to worksheet booklet)
in partners or individually.
Go over worksheet when students are
done.
Refer back to a previous lesson when we
discussed hearing loss and deafness. How
do people with hearing impairments often
communicate? Sign language! Discuss
what sign language is and how it is used.
Teach students four different words in
sign language (excuse me, sorry, hello,
thank you) and label the diagrams on
Master 40.
If time, could also put up the sign
language alphabet on the smartboard
and get students to learn how to sign
their first name.
If time, students could work on Master 41
(Common Sayings) and then go over as a
class afterwards.
28 Animals Lesson plan Youtube Class discussion
9 Discuss how animals hear differently than booklet video Observation (filling in
we do and how some animals use sound Kims resources Smartboar worksheet)
differently than humans. Youtube d Worksheet
Discuss echolocation and show video Master 44
 https://www.youtube.com/watch? worksheet
v=bAvoz_ofoeo (get students to explain
the process back to me once watching
the video one or two times)
Draw various frequencies from Master 44
on the board for students to visualize
them.
Complete questions as a class.
Determine which animals should go in
each box at bottom of page as a class,
and then students will draw individually.
Review #1 Youtube Magic Class discussion
All First watch a magic school bus video Worksheet School Observation
about hearing and sound (25 mins). booklet Bus video KWL chart
https://www.youtube.com/watch? Lesson plan KWL chart
v=zfQqz5VXQqM booklet Review/st
Have a brief discussion afterwards about Kims resources udy sheet
important parts from the video and how
Ma they relate to our unit.
r1 Get students to flip to KWL chart at the
beginning of their worksheet booklet. Get
them to record at least 3 things that they
learned in this unit in the L part of the
chart.
Send home a review/study sheet for
students to study for the unit test, as well
as their worksheet booklet.
2 Review #2 Jeopardy game Jeopardy Observation
Students will be split into two teams and website game (game/activity)
All complete a jeopardy game made from a Pre-made
template online. teams list
Questions will be all be pulled from what Smartboar
was learned throughout the unit and will d
be very similar to questions that will Prizes
appear on the actual test that students
 will be given.
No matter which teams win, all students
will get a prize at the end of class.
Remind students to study for the test
next class.
Unit Test Pre-made tests Unit Tests Unit Test
All Yes, this is a Friday, but maybe do it from Kim Scribe (summative)
instead of art today so the next time
students have science, we can start a
new unit.
Students will be given a unit test based
on everything that they learned
3
throughout the unit.
Some students may need a scribe to
complete the test, which can be done by
either myself or Kim.
Test will likely take the majority of class to
complete. When finished, students can
read silently.