KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

LESSON PLAN FORMAT

Teacher Candidate:
Cooperating Teacher:
Group Size:

Class

Subject or Topic:

Lauren Chiarchiaro
Dr. Varano

Date:
Coop. Initials

Allotted Time 1 hour Grade Level

How Sound Travels

3/14/16

Section

3
205

STANDARD: 3.2.4.B5 Demonstrate how vibrating objects make sound and sound can
make things vibrate.
I. Performance Objectives (Learning Outcomes):
A. The third grade students will identify mediums that sounds can travel through
by classifying them from slowest to fastest.
B. The third grade students will learn how sound travels through solids by
designing a cup telephone with three different mediums and recording any
changes in sound.
II. Instructional Materials
A. Various tuning forks in different sizes for varying sounds
B. String (cut up in different sizes)
C. Sound Travel worksheet (see attached)
D. Science Notebooks
E. Power Point of how sound travels
F. Tray with materials for each group
G. 4 metal containers
H. 4 plastic containers
I. 20 red cups
J. Rolls of twine, string, yarn.
III. Subject Matter/Content (prerequisite skills, key vocabulary, big idea, outline of
additional content)
A. Prerequisite skills
1. Students will need an understanding of sound and vibrations.
2. Students will need an understanding of the inquiry process.
B. Key Vocabulary
1. Solid: Is a certain size and/or shape
2. Liquid: Can flow, be poured, and spilled
3. Gas: Matter that has no shape or size of its own
C. Big Idea

1. Sound travels through three different mediums; solid, liquid,

and gas.
D. Content
1. The teacher will review what sound and vibrations are.
a. Vibrations: Move back and forth quickly.
b. Sound: Energy that helps us hear.
IV. Implementation
A. Introduction
1. Teacher will play music as the students are walking in
(anything appropriate for school).
2. Once all the students are seated, the teacher will turn off the
music and ask, Good morning! As you walked in the room,
Im sure you noticed that I was playing music. Take a moment
to think about maybe why I decided to do that. What may we
be talking about today that would lead me to play music when
you walked in?
a. The teacher will give the students a few seconds to
think about why. Then, the teacher will call on 4
students who want to share their answer.
b. The teacher will then say, The reason I wanted to play
music for you today is because we are going to talk
about how sound travels. Just like this music travelled
through this room.
B. Development
1. The teacher asks to the entire class, Do you think sound
travels better through solids, liquids, or gases. Discuss with
your group for 5 minutes.
2. As the students are talking the teacher will hand out a copy of a
guided notes that is similar to the power point for each student
to follow along with and fill in any information as the
discussion.
a. The Power Point will contain all the key vocabulary.
3. Once the 5 minutes is up, the groups will share what they think
and why. The teacher will then say, Now that we have briefly
discussed our hypothesis, lets talk about each medium and
how sound really does travel through them.
4. The teacher will go through the Power Point filling in the
blanks along with the class. The teacher will use the
SmartBoard to write in the answers.
5. After the Power Point is finished, the teacher will tell the
students to please put their note sheet in their Science
Notebooks.

6. The teacher will now use the students to demonstrate the three
different states of matter and how a vibration would go through
them.
a. The teacher would call on one group of students. They
will be the gas group so students will stand far apart
as the teacher tries to go through. Showing the students
that sound doesnt travel well through gas because it
cant bounce of the molecules quickly.
b. The teacher will now call on another group of students.
They will be the liquid group. This means the
students will stand close together but not super tight.
This show that sound travels better through liquids.
c. Lastly, the teacher will call up the last group. They will
be the solids group. The students will stand packed
tightly together to show how sound easily goes through
the molecules since it can bounce of one molecule to
the next quickly.
7. The teacher will sum up the activity by saying, Most people
think sound travels better through liquids or gas since WE can
move through both mediums and as we saw in the activity
there was more space for me to move around. In reality, sounds
move better through solids. Since the molecules are closely
packed together, it makes it easier for sound to travel through
since it can bounce from molecule to molecule quicker like in
the activity.
8. The teacher will now send one person from each group to the
back of the room where the tuning forks and string are (on the
groups tray).
9. The teacher will hand out the data table for students to use to
record their findings.
10. The teacher will say, On your tray, you have a variety of
tuning forks and string as well as plastic and metal containers.
The way you use a tuning fork is by holding the long end and
tapping the double end against a solid surface. Using these
tools, how can you test how sound travels through solids?
a. The teacher will then let students share their ideas.
11. The teacher will now demonstrate how the experiment works.
You will tie one string to the long end of the tuning fork. You
will then put the string to your ears and swing your head
causing the tuning fork to tap against the desk, wall, or one of
the items provided.
a. Use you data sheet to record you findings. You may
scatter throughout the room! Wherever you think you
will work the best!
12. The teacher will give the students 10 minutes to explore the
different materials provided.

13. Once students are finished, the class will discuss each groups
findings.
14. Next the teacher will say, Have you guys ever heard some
music or someone talking while you were in another room or if
you put your ear up against a wall? Thats because sound can
travel well through solids like we previously talked about.
15. Put you ear to the desk and scratch. Can you hear anything?
Does this mean your desk is moving? Take a moment to
discuss with your group why you think you can hear
scratching?
16. The teacher will give students a few seconds to discuss.
a. The answer is yes, tiny parts of the desk are moving
with the sound wave. Like we demonstrated earlier
when they were standing in the front of the class.
17. The teacher will say, When sound travels through a solid, it
travels the same way as it does through air: in a sound wave.
The sound wave actually moves the tiny particles, or
molecules, that make up the solid (like the demonstration).
18. Now, everyone see the red cups at your table? Pick them up.
There should be a hole in the bottom. We are going to
communicate with each other using the cup and the string on
your desks. I will demonstrate how you tie the string through
the cup.
19. The teacher will pull the string through the hold and show the
students how to tie a knot so the string doesnt fall out.
20. You will get with a partner and the string provided to make a
cup telephone.
21. The teacher will let the students work for 5 minutes and test out
their telephone.
22. Now the teacher will say, Now that you got the string to work,
what happens if we use twine or yarn? Does the sound change?
And what happens if we make the string super long? Can you
still hear your partner? Test it!
23. The teacher will give students the space (to make the string
long. Maybe going into the hallway) and materials needed to
test the questions above. The students will work for 10
minutes.
24. Once the students are finished and in their seats, there will be a
class discussion about their findings.
C. Closure
1. Now that we have learned what sound is, how sound moves
through the ear, and how sound travels through different
mediums, tomorrow we will talk about what happens when
someone cant hear. Tonight, think about what it would be like
to not hear your favorite song or your mom calling your name

for dinner. Tomorrow, we will also talk about sign language

and learn to spell our names. Have a great day!
D. Accommodations/Differentiation
1. Lucy is a third grade student with ADHD. During the power
point, her notes will already be filled in and will use a blue
highlighter to mark the key points so she doesnt lose interest
in the lesson. Also, she will work with her normal group since
she has built a relationship and is comfortable with her friends.
Given that this lesson involves a lot of hands-on work and
moving around, Lucy should stay interested and motivated to
learn.
E. Assessment/Evaluation Plan
1. Formative
a. The teacher will collect the students inquiry sheet at
the end of class.
i. If there is enough evidence to support the
students understanding of the inquiry, it will be
considered mastery.
2. Summative
a. There is no summative assessment for this lesson.
V. Reflective Response
A. Report of Student Performance in Terms of Stated Objectives (Reflection on
student performance written after lesson is taught, includes remediation for
students who fail to meet acceptable level of achievement)
Remediation Plan

B. Personal Reflection (Questions written before lesson is taught. Reflective

answers to question recorded after lesson is taught)
1. What went well during the lesson?

2. What didnt work and could be changed?

3. Did the students enjoy the lesson and seem focused or were
they bored/uninterested in the material?
4. How can I make this lesson more engaging?
VI. Resources (in APA format)
A. Krista L. Adams. 2004. Do You Hear What I Hear?. Science and Children.
56.

Name:

String

Twine

Yarn

Date:
Directions: Please use the table to record your data. Use the boxes to the right to explain in
detail the difference in sound between the string, yarn and twine.