CURRPD Science Unit/Lesson Planner

Topic: Physical World Context: Sound

Year/s: 6 Level/s: 3 Duration: 19 minutes

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

Physical World Concept: Achievement Objective(s): Level: 3
When air vibrates, the volume and pitch of the sound produced
depend on the size and shape of the air space. The properties of Physical World, Level 3 – Physical Inquiry and Physics Concepts
sound are related to the manner in which sound waves travel
through a substance. Students will: explore, describe, and represent patterns and trends for everyday examples of
physical phenomena, such as movement, forces, electricity and magnetism, light, sound,
Nature of Science Concept: waves and heat.
Science can be learned through asking questions, making
observations, investigating, exploring objects and making
interpretations that relate to the evidence.

Nature of Science Strand (Overarching strand)

Achievement Objective(s): Level: 3

Key Competencies Nature of Science, Level 3 – Investigating in Science

Thinking: Students will be encouraged to develop the key Students will: Ask questions, find evidence, explore simple models, and carry out appropriate
competency of thinking during this lesson. This will occur as investigations to develop simple explanations.
students engage in the activities and think about how each activity
works, and the processes that are going on that may not be
visible. Students will also be prompted to ask any questions that
may arise during the lesson, draw conclusions and discuss what
they have interpreted through their interaction with the activities.

Values Resources/Reminders
Innovation, inquiry, and curiosity: During this lesson
students will be able to make enquiries and think critically Resources I Need Reminders
about different ideas and content relating to sound and how
it is produced. Students will be asked engaging questions
which prompt them to reflect and analyse their own  1x Hand cranked music box  Find out students’ prior knowledge
thoughts and their peers’ interpretations.  1x Magnifying glass before starting the lesson.
 2x Plastic rules  Refer to my Teacher notes to provide
Digital tools  2x Lumps of plasticine students with explanations about each
 4x Ice block sticks activity and how sound is produced.
At the start of the “Vibrating Rulers” activity  2x Microfibre Cloths  Answers to each question I ask
students will watch the video below to understand  2x Sponges students is in my Teacher Notes.
what is meant by “clamping”.
 2x Metal Rulers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDshiu5um9g
 Cardboard

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 The music box activity was very engaging for
the students and it was great seeing them trial
the music box on different surfaces to
experience different outcomes. Next time I
would include a better introduction to grab the
students focus, allowing them to understand
what they are learning.
Learning Intentions or Intended Learning
Outcomes
Students will be able to:
 Use different materials to
demonstrate how the sound that
comes from a music box varies
depending on the size of the surface
that is played on.
 Identify the parts inside a music box
which causes vibrations. They will
be able to explain how these make
the air around it vibrate, allowing us
to hear a sound.
 Recognise and explain in their own
words how altering the length of a
ruler that overhangs a table will alter
the vibrations and tone that is heard.
It is important to spend time on each activity – in
the future each activity could be its own lesson.
This is because when students get a hold of the
equipment, especially the music box, they will
have lots of questions, and will want to explore
each element in detail.
Learning Experiences
Activity 1 – Music Box (6 minutes)
- Before I play the music box for the students, they will discuss and
complete the first box on their worksheet. They will make predictions
about what surfaces they think will produce the loudest sounds
when the music box is played on them.
- Students will then test their theories by placing the music box on the
different surfaces and playing them. Surfaces to use will include;
table, floor, microfibre cloth, sponge and cardboard.
- Question 1: Why did some surfaces make louder sounds than
others?
- Question 2: What is a sound box?
I will give the students the music box to look at. They will use a magnifying
glass to look at the music box. During this time, I will prompt discussion about
how the tune is put together and how each note is created.
- Question 3: What is vibrating in the music box and why?
Activity 2 - “Vibrating Rulers” activity (8 minutes)
- Students will be shown a YouTube video that explains how to
“clamp” different types of rulers. After watching the video students
will work in pairs to pluck the ruler (so it vibrates), while altering the
length it hangs over the table, to create different sounds.
- Students will then be able to complete the second box on their
worksheet.
- Question 1: What do you think will happen if we add a lump of
plasticine to the end of the ruler?
After asking this question I will get the students a lump of plasticine that they
can add to their ruler to find out if their predictions were correct.
- Question 2: How does the pitch you hear relate to the length of the
ruler that is hanging over the table? What is similar between this
activity and the first activity?
Students will then be able to complete the final box on their worksheet.
Activity 3: Musical Ice Block Sticks (5 minutes)
- Each student will be given an ice block stick which they will place
between their teeth, lying horizontally across their face. Students will
be asked to “pluck” one end of the stick with their fingers.
- Question 1: What do you hear/feel? What do you think will happen if
you alter the length that is sticking out of your mouth?
- Allow students to vary the lengths of their ice block sticks and
experiment with the different outcomes.
- Question 2: If you had your ears closed, do you think you’d still be
able to hear a sound when the stick is plucked? (They will require a
buddy to pluck the stick for them) Why?
Assessment Tasks
Diagnostic
- At the start of the lesson and prior to each new
activity I will establish an understanding of
what the students already know about sound
and how it is produced. I will identify their level
of understanding by using an initial question
that gauges their pre-existing knowledge on
differing materials and the impact they have on
sound. Q1: What surfaces do you think will
make the loudest and softest sounds? Why?
Q2: What do you think will happen if we add a
piece of plasticine to the end of the ruler? Q3:
What do you think will happen if you alter the
length that is sticking out of your mouth?
- The responses I gather from these questions
will allow me to adjust my lessons and provide
the students will information that is relevant
and building on their pre-existing knowledge.
Formative
- During the lesson I will be asking students
questions to prompt discussion. These
questions will encourage them to think critically
about the activities that are in front of them.
When students ask or answer questions, I will
provide them with both feedback and
feedforward to encourage their learning and
increase their science comprehension.
Summative
- By the end of the lesson the students will have
filled out their individual worksheet. This
worksheet will allow me to assess what their
thinking was like at the start of the lesson and
how it progressed throughout. The worksheet
will allow me to understand what areas the
students need more learning in, in regard to
the learning intentions. I will also be able to
assess the students throughout the lesson,
through their discussions. I will be able to
compare both their written and verbal answers
against the learning intentions to understand if
what they learnt, was what was intended.
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Teacher Notes

1. Music Box

- Question 1 Answer – The larger the surface that vibrates, the louder the sound.
- Question 2 Answer – A sound box is an open chamber in the body of a musical instrument. It modifies that sound of the instrument and
helps transfer the sound to surrounding air.
- Further Explanation - In the music box there's a small cylinder that is covered with tiny little bumps, or pins. Turning the handle causes the
cylinder to rotate. As it turns, the pins on the cylinder catch the teeth of a metal comb in a specific sequence. The vibration of the teeth on
the comb (of different lengths and mass) creates the music we hear.
- Question 3 Answer – The comb vibrates, because it needs to make the air around it vibrate, thus creating the sound we hear.

2. Vibrating Rulers

- Show the students the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDshiu5um9g

- After letting the students play with the rulers explain:
o When the ruler is short, we get a high note. The note is high because the ruler is vibrating faster. It is easier to vibrate because
there is less mass to move, so it can move faster.
o We get a low note when the ruler is longer as it vibrates slower. This happens because there is a greater mass of ruler to move,
slowing it down.
- Question 1 Answer – The note we hear will be lower as there is more weight to move
- Question 2 Answer – When the ruler is short, we get a high note as the vibrations are occurring faster. When the ruler is longer, we get a
lower note as the vibrations are slower. This is like the first activity because the way the ruler vibrates is similar to how the teeth of the
comb vibrates to create sound.

3. Musical Ice Block Sticks

- Question1 Answer – They will be able to feel the vibrations on their teeth. If we alter the length of the popsicle stick, we will get a different
pitched note.
- Question 2 Answer – Yes because the vibrations allow you to still hear the sound. Therefore, the larger the vibration, the louder the sound
is going to be.

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Name:_______________ Date:_________ Name:_______________ Date:_________
_ _
What surfaces do you think will make the What surfaces do you think will make the
loudest and softest sound? Why loudest and softest sound? Why

What effect does varying the length of the overhanging What effect does varying the length of the overhanging
ruler have on the vibrations/sounds you hear? ruler have on the vibrations/sounds you hear?

Why does the ruler make a high note when it’s short, and Why does the ruler make a high note when it’s short, and
a low note when it’s long? a low note when it’s long?

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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?

During the teaching of science assignment, I have learnt that it is extremely important to incorporate effective “hands-on” activities during science lessons.
When designed around specific aspects of the curriculum and incorporate specific learning intentions, these “hands-on” activities can inspire students to
develop and engage in scientific thoughts. While there are many different types of learners, all students benefit from giving things a go and physically
experimenting with the information they are learning. By allowing students to physically get involved in the lesson and allowing them to explore and be
creative with their thoughts, their engagement and curiosity often increases, enabling them to grasp the concepts intended to be learnt. Goodrum, Hacking
and Rennie 2001; Logan and Skamp 2008, (as cited in Skamp, & Preston, 2015) stated that “Primary students enjoy science when it is student-centred, their
‘voices’ are heard and there is a focus on investigation”(p.1). I have also learnt that it is important to understand the student’s prior knowledge as this will
enable me to provide lessons that develop on their current knowledge.

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