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Materials
- audio recorder such as the one used in Week 1
- chart paper and marker
Key Science Concepts
- Different objects make different sounds.
- Sounds can vary in volume (loud and soft), and pitch (high and low).
- A sound becomes louder when the force of the action that is creating the sound is increased (for example, when you hit a drum harder). A sound becomes softer, or quieter, when the force is decreased.
Vocabulary
Introduce words describing pitch (high, higher, low) and volume (loud, soft, quiet); and descriptive words such as squeaky and growly. Explain that when we talk about sound, soft and quiet mean the same thing. Once you’ve introduced the concept of pitch, point out that low and deep mean the same thing when we talk about sound.
Have children explore the many different sounds they can make with their voices. (Maybe they can take turns saying “Hello” in different funny voices.) Encourage children to describe what kind of voice was used. Then challenge them to experiment with pitch and volume:
- Can you say “Hello” in a high, squeaky voice?
- Can you say it in an even higher voice?
- Can you say “Hello” in a very low, growly voice?
- Can you whisper it? How quietly can you whisper it?
Reflect
Can children identify other students by the sounds of their voices? Have the group face in one direction. Have three or four children stand behind the others. Have one child say “Hello” (or something else). Can the group identify the speaker? Encourage children to explain how they recognized the voice.
Share
Using an audio recorder, invite children to record themselves. Then listen to the recordings. Can children identify their own voices? The voices of their friends? Again, encourage children to explain how they identified the voices.
Invite children to suggest different sounds to add to the Loud/Soft and High/Low charts.
