CURRPD Science Unit/Lesson Planner

Topic: Sound Context: Exploring concepts of sound

Year/s: 4 Level/s: 1/2 Duration: 19 minutes

Science Concept(s) Contextual Strands (Knowledge/Understanding)

“The larger the vibration - or the larger the surface that vibrates - the louder the Achievement Objective(s): Level: 1 / 2
sound”, and “ Activity One
“The higher the frequency of the vibration, the higher the pitch of the sound” Activity Physical Inquiry and physics concepts
Two
Students will: seek and describe simple patterns in physical
phenomena
“Science can be learned through exploration, play, asking questions and discussing
simple models and statements.” Activity One and Two
Nature of Science Strand (Overarching strand)
Achievement Objective(s): Level: 1 / 2
Key Competencies Investigating science
Thinking:
This lesson relates to thinking through the way that it is allowing students to use creative,
Students will: extend their experiences and personal explanations
critical and metacognitive processes to make sense of the information on musical tone of the natural world through exploration, play, asking questions,
generation presented to them. They will be constructing knowledge on the three different and discussing simple models.
ways presented to them that tones can be produced and how they can use these different
experiments to explore different outcomes.
. Values
Resources/Reminders
Innovation, inquiry, and curiosity Music box:
Students will be thinking critically about how musical tones can be generated and why they Experiment One: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musicbox
are generated, they will be creative by exploring the ways in which tones are generated by Sound Box:
- Hand Cranked music box https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/soundbox
doing different experiments and they will then reflect on the task at the end by discussing
what they learnt through the experiments and why they think tones are generated and the
- Magnifying Glass Vibrations in a steel ruler:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDshiu
differing ways that they can be generated. 5um9g
Experiment Two: Wobbly Ruler Experiment - Ashton C of
Digital tools - Plastic rulers E Middle School:
In my next lesson I could use an interactive video to remind the students what - Plasticine http://www.ashtonmiddleschool.co.uk/uploa
ds/8/0/9/3/8093466/wobbly_ruler_experime
sound is and how sound travels as molecules, finding a video that describes nt.doc
how sound travels through air/liquid/solids. Summative Worksheet Sound Wave:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wHx_t
Bfu5c

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 Learning Intentions or Intended Learning Outcomes
(What should the students achieve?)
Music Box Experiment:
The music box has a small cylinder that is covered with
tiny bumps or pons. You turn the handle on cylinder to
rotate it. As you turn it the pins on the cylinder catch on
the teeth of the metal comb in a specific sequence that is
individual to the desired sound produced.
The vibration of the teeth on the comb (each differing in
length and mass) creates the music we hear.
- Students to understand that the music box has a
higher pitch sound.
- Students to also understand that placing the
music box on a harder surface rather than in the
air, such as the table, produces a louder sound
due to the sound having something
- Students to understand that sound travels
slower through air than through a solid. By
placing the music box on the solid table it
vibrates the solid particles directly. If students
weren to place their ear on the table it would
produce an even louder sound.
Ruler Experiment:
- The vibrating ruler pushes the molecules in the
air, making them bunch together.
- As the ruler vibrates back and forth it makes
waves of molecules pushed together (pressure
waves).
- The molecules transmit these pressure waves
through the air into our ear, where they are
converted to electrical signals that get sent to
our brain.
When the ruler is longer it vibrates more
slowly, so pushes molecules together less
often, so the waves of molecules are further
apart - the frequency of sound waves are lower.
Slower frequency waves= lower pitch.
When the ruler is shorter it vibrates more
quickly, so makes higher frequency pressure
waves.
- Shorter frequency= higher pitch.
Learning Experiences
(What are the students to do?)
Activity 1: Music Box:
1. Teacher “plays” the music box (by cranking the handle) while
holding it in the air (not on any surface). The group is asked to
suggest surfaces the music box could be placed and then the group
tries each suggestion out to see how loud the music sounds when
played. (The concept of a “sound box’ may arise in discussion.
2. Group examines the music box (magnifying glass if needed) and
discusses how each note is created and how the tune is put
together.
3. Place the music box on different surfaces and see if the sound
differs on each of these surfaces. If it does discuss why it does this?
Activity 2: Vibrating Rulers:
1. Change how much of the ruler is hanging over the edge of the desk
and experiment with the different notes that are made. The "pitch" is
how high or low the note is. A longer ruler hanging over the edge
makes a lower pitch; a shorter ruler gives a higher pitch.
2. Discuss that the longest ruler may not make much of a note except
the slapping against the desk, and the shortest ruler will not make a
note at all, so work in the middle of the ruler.
3. Start with a longer ruler, twang it, then make the ruler shorter while it
is still vibrating. Then it is easier to hear the note rising in pitch as
the ruler is moved.
4. Observe the vibrations of the ruler closely to correlate the
frequency (speed) of the vibrations with the pitch of the note.
5. Add plasticine to the ruler to see what sound is produced. (By
adding plasticine the students should see that the sound become
slower and lower due to the weight added to the ruler)
Assessment Tasks
Diagnostic, Formative & Summative tasks
(How can their achievement be measured and
recorded)
Diagnostic:
- Students to discuss vibrations are the cause of
sound
- Students to discuss that pitch is caused by the
frequency of sound. Higher pitch=quicker
frequency, lower pitch=slower frequency.
Formative:
- Engaging the students in the topic
- Exploring the topic through doing experiments
and experiencing the idea
- Getting the students to explain what they are
doing and what they are hearing/seeing while
they are doing it.
- Elaborate on their language by assisting them
in what they are explaining and how they are
explaining it by using proper vocabulary
- Evaluate their understanding through getting
them to discuss their ideas and what they are
experiencing
- Involves the students engaging in the thought
process as to what in the music box is
vibrating and where it is vibrating.
- Getting the students to look at the components
of the music box and describe how they make
the sound and what causes the sound, it also
looks at what makes the sound louder (the
ruler tasks helps with the explanation of this as
well).
Summative:
- Activity sheet
The summative activity was very rushed, spend
more time on it and give the students more time to
reflect and discuss the experiment to gain more
understanding as a group of what they have learnt.
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‘What insight have you gained into your teaching of science that you will take with you
when you teach science as part of completing Assignment 2?’
My insight I have gained into teaching science is that it should be fun and engaging, therefore keeping the students interested in what they are
learning and ensuring their information is retained. It is important for teachers to outline the context of their lessons and what they wish the
students to scientifically learn, this is vital in the students progress of their understanding of the nature of science (Skamp, Keith; Preston,
Christine, 2015). The experiments within group work and the exploration, asking questions, and discussion adds to the students learning through
‘explicit-reflective nature of science teaching’ (2015). Providing students with the knowledge of what they are learning before they are engaging in
the experiments is important for them to progress effectively in their understanding of the content. Once they understand what they are learning
through exploration and discussion they will retain the knowledge better.

Reference:
Skamp, Keith; Preston, Christine Margaret (Eds.) (2015). Teaching primary science constructively (5th Edition). Retrieved from
https://content.talisaspire.com/auckland/bundles/589bd0394469ee61438b4568

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 MUSIC BOX ACTIVITY
1). Label on the picture what is vibrating and where it is vibrating.

2).What surface makes the music box sound loudest? Why is it the loudest on that surface?

On the table.

Sound travels slower through air than through a solid.

By placing the music box on the solid table it vibrates the solid particles directly therefore producing a louder sound.

3). Fill in the blanks

Slower frequency waves means __Lower_ pitch. _Faster__ frequency waves means higher pitch.

The _shorter____ ruler made a higher pitched sound. The __longer____ ruler made a lower pitched sound.

Choose from these words:

Shorter Longer Lower Faster

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