Sound Lesson Plan

SOL 5.2
The student will investigate and understand how sound is created and transmitted, and
how it is used.
Overview
This standard introduces the concept of what sound is and how sound is transmitted. The
students are introduced to scientific vocabulary and the phenomena of compression
waves, frequency, waves, wavelength, and vibration in this standard. Students should
make predictions about and experiment with the transmission of sound. It is intended that
students will actively develop and utilize scientific investigation, reasoning, and logic
skills (5.1) in the context of the key concepts presented in this standard.
Understanding the Standard
Sound is a form of energy produced and transmitted by vibrating matter.
Sound waves are compression (longitudinal) waves.

When compression (longitudinal) waves move through matter (solid, liquid, or a gas),
the molecules of the matter move backward and forward in the direction in which the
wave is traveling. As sound waves travel, molecules are pressed together in some
parts (compression) and in some parts are spread out (rarefaction). A childs toy in the
form of a coil is a good tool to demonstrate a compression (longitudinal) wave.
When we talk, sound waves travel in air. Sound also travels in liquids and solids.
Sound waves must have a medium through which to travel. In a vacuum sound cannot
travel because there is no matter for it to move through.
Pitch is determined by the frequency of a vibrating object. Objects vibrating faster
have a higher pitch than objects vibrating slower. A change in frequency of sound
waves causes an audible sensationa difference in pitch.
Sound travels more quickly through solids than through liquids and gases because the
molecules of a solid are closer together. Sound travels the slowest through gases
because the molecules of a gas are farthest apart.

In order to meet this standard, it is expected that students will:

Use the basic terminology of sound to describe what sound is, how it is formed, how it
affects matter, and how it travels.
Materials
tuning forks

plastic cups

paper towels

water

ping-pong balls

string

plastic bowl

plastic wrap

rubber bands

rice

scissors

tape

tuning fork block

(optional)

Lesson Opening
What is sound? Sound is a form of energy produced and transmitted by vibrating matter.
How does sound travel? Sound travels in waves.
What are some characteristics of sound?
Loudness (amplitude)
Highness/lowness (pitch)
Quality
Vibrations can be sensed in several ways, including hearing, seeing and touching.
Today, you will be sound detectives.
Scatter tuning forks on desk. Instruct students to strike them on a soft surface, such as
their shoe or palm of their hands. Listen to the fork and look very closely while its
making a sound. Have them compare the different tuning forks. What do you observe?
Strike the tuning fork and place the tips of your fingers lightly on the vibrating tines to
feel the vibrations. What happened? The tines tickle your fingers.
What happens when you place the tuning fork onto the top of a table or against the white
board? The sound may be amplified.
Discussion points: All sounds are produced by vibrations. When something vibrates, it
moves back and forth and usually does so very quickly. If the vibrations are within the
range of human hearing, we detect a sound. When set in motion, the two tines of a tuning
fork move back and forth, or vibrate.
Instructional Strategies
Can we see sound move?
*Activity #1: The Big Splash (p. 130)
Strike a tuning fork against the heel of your shoe, or hit it with a rubber mallet. Place the
tips of the tines (the two vibrating ends of the tuning fork) into a beaker of water. What
do you observe? What does this event show us about sound?
Question: What happens when the tuning fork is dipped into the water?
Pupil investigations:
The water splashes out of the beaker when the tuning fork touches the water.
Experimenting with tuning forks of different sizes.
Inferring (incorrectly) that the larger the tuning fork, the bigger the splash.
Inferring (incorrectly) that the higher the frequency, the bigger the splash.
Discussion: The sound made by the tuning fork made a pattern of waves that showed in
the water. If we could see the air around us, we would be able to see the same kind of
waves as sound moves through the air to your ears.

Can sound move things?

*Activity #2: Ping-Pong Bounce (p. 131)
Strike a tuning fork and hold a tine against a suspended ping-pong ball. What happens to
the ball when it is touched by the tine? Why?
Question: What happens to the ping-pong ball when it touches a vibrating tuning fork?
Pupil investigations:
Observing that the ping-pong ball bounces away when touched by a tine.
Experimenting with tuning forks of different sizes.
Generalizing that the tuning fork had energy that was transferred to the ball.
Inferring that the tuning fork was vibrating.
Discussion: Sound can make things move. Energy (vibrations) is transferred from the
tuning fork to the ping-pong ball. The amount of energy transferred will determine how
far the ping-pong ball moves.
Activity #3: The Dancing Rice
Stretch a rubber film (from a balloon) across the open end of a tin can and sprinkle some
rice on the film. Strike a tuning fork and hold it about 1 centimeter over the film. What
do you observe? What does this event show us about sound?
Pupil investigations:
Discovering that the rice dances if the tuning fork is held a certain way.
Experimenting with various ways of holding the tuning fork.
Comparing tuning forks of different sizes.
Formulating a rule to explain why the tuning fork causes the rice to dance.
Discussion: A vibrating tuning fork causes the rice to dance on the stretched film.
What other things can you think of that could be used for this activity? (salt, sugar)