Hearing and Class 4: Decibels and Hearing Loss 60 mins Science

Sound

PROGRAM OF STUDY OUTCOMES

● 3. Recognize that there are ways of measuring the loudness of sounds and that
loud sounds pose a danger to the ear.
● 11. Describe changes in hearing that result from continued exposure to loud noise
and from the natural process of aging.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson students will be able to:

1. Describe what the term decibel is.
2. Recognize that there are different levels of hearing loss.
3. Recognize how we can damage our ears and that different sounds can depend on
the severity of the damage.
4. Identify different ways to protect our ears.

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

● KWL charts
● ‘How Old are Your Ears?’ Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxcbppCX6Rk
● Hearing Loss Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar1Dq-M2ok4
● ‘How Loud is Too Loud?’ Interactive Activity:
http://dangerousdecibels.org/virtualexhibit/3howloudistooloud.html
● Paper

PREPARATION AND LOGISTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

 ● Have videos and websites loaded
● Have paper and tape for students

PROCEDURE

Introduction Time

● Introduce that we are going to be talking about hearing loss, how we 4 min
lose our hearing and how to prevent it. Ask the class what hearing loss
means. Meaning there is damage to the ear and prevents them from
hearing perfectly
● Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxcbppCX6Rk

Body Time

Decibels 1. Vocab Word: Decibels - a unit used to measure the 5 mins

intensity of a sound
2. Explain that in the video the different high pitch sounds
had different decibels. When we are talking or
whispering, they have different decibels as well.
3. Listening to sounds that have very high decibels can
end up harming and possibly damaging your ears

Hearing Loss 1. Define hearing loss: is partially or completely not being 10 min
able to hear.
a. There can be different types of hearing loss. It
can range from mild to moderate to severe and
then complete hearing loss, where you cannot
hear anything.
2. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar1Dq-
M2ok4
a. Hearing Loss Simulation
b. This simulation will show you the different types
of hearing loss.
c. Explain that some people will hear the mild,
moderate or severe all of the time and that is
why many people get hearing aids. Especially
when you are older.
d. As we age it becomes more difficult for us to
hear.
Ear Trumpet 1. Show students pictures of an ear trumpet. 10 mins
2. An ear trumpet was like an old fashioned hearing aid.
The trumpet would collect sound waves and lead them
into the ear.
3. Have students make ear trumpets out of paper and
show how sound gets louder when you hold it up to
your ear.
4. There is more space to collect soundwaves making
the sound seem louder.
5. Play the hearing loss simulation for the class again but
have them hold up their ear trumpets.

Ways we can 1. Interactive Activity: 20 min

Damage our http://dangerousdecibels.org/virtualexhibit/3howloudist
Ears ooloud.html
2. Allows students to see which sounds can damage our
ears, even just a little bit, and which sounds are safe
for our ears.
3. Pull popsicle sticks and have one student at a time
come and choose a button. Talk about what the sound
is and have the student choose if they think it is safe to
listen to or not safe.
4. Explain why or why not a sound is safe to listen to up
close.

How to Protect 1. Emphasize that it is important to protect our ears when 5 min
our Ears there are loud noises around us to prevent hearing
loss.
2. Ask: What are some ways that we can protect our ears
from loud sound and from damaging out ears?
a. Ear plugs
b. Noise Cancelling headphones
c. Turning the volume down

Conclusion Time

● Get KWL chart out and have students write down one thing that they 6 mins
learned from this class. I will write something on the board for them to
copy about the days lesson.
 Assessment

● Class Discussion: Helps determine prior knowledge about how to protect our ears
from loud sounds and why it is important.
● Hearing Loss Simulation: to allow students to understand how our hearing can be
impacted if we do not take care of them
● Damaging our ear activity: Gives students examples of everyday sounds that can
possibly damage our hearing and how we can protect our ears from them.