Learning-Focused Lesson Plan

Subject: Science Topic: Sound Name:

Date: Week of February 10-14, 2020

Learning Goals for this Lesson Standards :

Sound is a type of energy made by vibrations. When any object vibrates, - 4.P.4. The student will demonstrate an understanding of the properties
it causes movement in the air particles. These particles bump into the of light and sound as forms of energy.
particles close to them, which makes them vibrate, too, causing them to
bump into more air particles. This causes compression waves to
propagate through the surrounding matter. Compression waves, or
longitudinal waves, are forms of energy. The more energy these waves
have, the louder the generated sound will be. As the waves run out of
energy, the sound diminishes.
Students Will Know : Students Will Be Able To :
Students will be able to plan and carry out investigations to collect data  describe the difference between pitch and volume.
for how manipulating different variables can result in changing the  describe the difference between pitch and volume.
volume and/or pitch of sounds being produced, including the following  build a device that amplifies sound.
steps:
 Generate scientifically testable questions about how to change
the volume and/or pitch of sounds.
 Plan the steps of an investigation to manipulate different
variables, including those listed below, to see how these change
the volume and pitch of sounds.
The thickness of the materials producing the sound (pitch) o The length
of the materials producing the sound (pitch) o The tension of the
materials producing the sound (pitch) o The amount of force used to
produce the sound (volume) o The distance between the observer and the
source of the sound (volume)
 Collect and organize data to describe the changes in the pitch
and/or volume of sounds produced after manipulating different
variables.
Important Notes: Students will use different items to produce sound
vibrations, including tuning forks, musical instruments, glass beakers, as
well as tools to measure the distance between the source of the sound
vibrations and the listener. (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, (indigo),
violet).
Lesson Essential Questions:
 Why do different sounds have different volumes?
 How do different variables affect the properties of sound?
 How does pitch and volume differ?
 What causes instruments to have different pitches?
Activating Strategy :
Discovery TechBook: Why do different sounds have volume?
https://app.discoveryeducation.com/player/view/assetGuid/F75CE21C-95794418-AA14-4CCA338A1C2C
Key vocabulary to preview and vocabulary strategy :
Thickness, Length, Tension, Volume, Force, Distance, Tuning Fork, Vibration, Pitch, Amplitude, Echo, Frequency, Energy, Sound,
Wave.
Lesson Instruction
Learning Target: I will take a pretest on Sound in Mastery Connect. Graphic Organizer
 
Success Criteria: I can take a pretest on Sound in Mastery Connect.

 
Learning Activity 1:

 Students will take a pre-test in Mastery Connect on Light.

 Students can watch Flocabulary video to learn about the
properties of sound. The resource can be found at
https://www.flocabulary.com/unit/sound/
 Students will look at the following terms:

 Sound
 Volume
 Pitch

 Students will take notes using two-columns

Assessment for LA 1:
4P. 4A.1 Mastery Connect

Learning Target: I will describe the difference between pitch and

volume.
Success Criteria: I can describe the difference between pitch and
volume.

Learning Activity 2:

Pitch and Frequency: This activity allows students to make observations

and measurements to describe how change in vibration affects the pitch
and volume of sound. This resource can be found at:
https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_energy2_lesson05
_activity3

Materials List
Each group needs:

 ruler
 plastic drinking straw
 scissors
 Pitch and Frequency Worksheet, one per student

Procedure
Before the Activity

 Gather materials and make copies of the Pitch and Frequency

Worksheet.
 Divide the class into teams of two students each.
With the Students: Ruler Experiment

1. Have students hold the end of a ruler flat against a table and
 hit the other end, which extends beyond the edge of the table.
2. Repeat this action several times, pulling more of the ruler onto
the table each time.
3. Ask the students how changing the length of the portion of the
ruler that hangs past the table changes the vibrations in the
ruler. How does it affect the pitch and frequency of the sound
the ruler makes? (Answer: The longer the amount of the ruler
beyond the table edge, the lower the pitch and frequency.)
4. To add a math component, have students record on the
worksheet how long the ruler vibrates at different lengths and
graph the results on the worksheet.
With the Students: Straw Kazoo Activity

1. Make a straw kazoo by cutting one end of a straw to a point.

2. Blow into the straw and then cut a bit off the other end to
make it a shorter kazoo.
3. Observe the change in pitch as the straw kazoo is shortened.
4. Discuss patterns and observations: Recall that pitch is the
highness or lowness of a sound, and frequency is a pitch's rate
of vibrations. What type of pitch is characterized by slower
vibrations? (Answer: A low pitch.) What type of pitch is
characterized by faster vibrations? (Answer: A high pitch.)

Assessment for LA 2:

4PA. 4A.2 Mastery Connect

Learning Target: I will describe the relationship between sound wave Assignments
energy and sound volume.

Success Criteria: I can describe the relationship between sound wave

energy and sound volume.

Learning Activity 3:
● Cup A Phone: This activity allows students to define problems related
to the communication of information over distances and design devices
or solutions that use sound to solve the problem. This resource can be
found at:
https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_sound_lesson02_a
ctivity1

Materials List
Each student needs:

 1 paper cup
 piece of string (about 2 feet, or 30 cm)
 1 small nail
 String Telephones Worksheet
For the entire class to share:

 extra paper cups

 several 6-8 foot (1.8 - 2.3 m) pieces of string
 (optional) nylon or different types of string
 blank white paper
 pencils
Procedures:

Materials List
Each student needs:

 1 paper cup
 piece of string (about 2 feet, or 30 cm)
 1 small nail
 String Telephones Worksheet
For the entire class to share:

 extra paper cups

 several 6-8 foot (1.8 - 2.3 m) pieces of string
 (optional) nylon or different types of string
 blank white paper
 pencils
With the Students
Explain the procedures to the students before passing out the materials.
Part 1: Model of a String Guitar
1. Use a nail to make a small hole in the bottom of a paper cup.
2. Pull string through the cup and tie a knot.
3. Hold string straight out from cup with two fingers of one hand, pressing
your fingernail to hold it extra tight.
4. Gently draw your other finger along the string, making a sound.
5. Ask the students the following questions and discuss as a class:
A. What do you hear? (Answer: The sound comes from your
moving finger and it is quiet.) B. What do you feel? (Answer: The
motionless fingers holding the string feel vibrations.)
6. Now hold the cup in one hand and draw your finger along the
string as before, as shown in Figure 4. Ask students the following
questions, and discuss as a class:

 Where is the sound? (Answer: It is in the cup, and it is louder.)

Note: This happens because the cup vibrated enough to
create a sound wave in the air, which we could then hear. The
hand does not vibrate enough to produce a sound.
 What happened to the vibration you felt in your hand?
(Answer: It left when I transferred my hand to the cup.)
 Where do you think the vibration went? Or did it just
disappear? (Answer: It went into the cup instead of my hand.
It did not just disappear.)
 So why was there sound from the cup? (Answer: The vibration,
or sound wave, from my finger traveled along the string and
into the cup. The cup transferred the vibration into the air,
which we could then hear.)

Assessment for LA 3:
4P. 4A. 3 Mastery Connect

Learning Target: I will describe the relationship between sound wave

energy and sound volume.

Success Criteria: I can describe the relationship between sound wave

energy and sound volume.
Learning Activity 4: continued

Procedures:
Part 2: Model of a String Telephone

1. Find a partner and tie the two loose ends of your strings
together.
2. Stand away from each other so the string is taut.
3. Speak to one another through the cups.
4. Experiment with your string telephone by gently pulling the
string taut and then letting it fall loose.
5. Ask the students and discuss as a class:

 How does the telephone work? (Example answer: When you

speak into the cup, the back of the cup vibrates; the vibration
extends into the string, like a push on a slinky; the sound
waves, or vibrations, move through the string.)
 Which works better: taut or loose? Why? (Answer: Taut; when
the string is loose it is softer than when it is taut. Soft
materials tend to absorb more sound that solid ones; when
more sound is being absorbed, your friend on the other end of
the line cannot hear as well.)
 What happens when the vibrations (sound waves) reach the
other end of the cup? (Answer: It is the reverse of what
happened on the other side: the waves in the string vibrate
the cup; the vibrations from the cup disturb the air, like a
pebble being thrown into still water; the vibrations in the air,
otherwise known as sound waves, travel toward our ears.)
Question/Answer: Ask students the following questions, allowing
several to answer:

 How is a string telephone similar to a modern telephone that

you would use in your house or school? (Answer: Both
telephones have a receiver on each end and a path that the
sound travels in the middle. However, modern telephones rely
on the conversion of the sound waves into an electrical
signal.)
 What are some times when communicating long distances is
important? Can you think of a time when it was important for
you to talk to someone far away? (Answers will vary.)
  How have telephones improved how people communicate?
(Answers will vary.)
Assessment for LA 4:
4P.4A.5

Vocabulary Words

Amplified-- the height of a wave of energy.

Echo-- a repeated sound produced by reflected sound waves.
Energy-- the ability to do work, have power or produce change.
Frequency-- the number of times a wave is repeated in a period.
Pitch-- highness or lowness of a sound.
Sound-- any audible vibration; anything that is heard.
Vibrate-- to move very quickly with small movements that can be felt and may be heard; quiver.
Volume-- amount of sound.
Wave-- the curved form some types of energy, such as heat, light and sound, take as they move through space.