Sound Production on Instruments and with the Human Voice - Grade ...

<strong>Sound</strong> <strong>Production</strong> on Instruments andwith the Human Voice - Grade FourOhio StandardsConnectionFine Arts: MusicAnalyzing andRespondingGrade Cluster: K-FourBenchmark BIdentify the sounds of avariety of instrumentsincluding orchestra, bandand classroom instrumentsIndicator 5Describe the way sound isproduced on variousinstruments and with thehuman voice.Lesson Summary:In this lesson, students will actively participate indiscussions and experiments about sound production. Theywill use correct terminology, choosing language from thebasic elements of music and science. Students will see,hear and feel vibrations generated by music instruments.They will conduct experiments and draw conclusions aboutsound production using classroom instruments, their ownvoices and common objects. They will extend their learningby creating original instruments based on knowledgegained through experimentation. Students will then presenttheir instruments to their peers, explaining how they madethem, how sounds are produced and which families ofinstruments they fall into based on the sound produced.They will learn to identify instruments from various familygroupings by sight and sound.Estimated Duration: Two hours to two hours and 30minutes, preferably broken into four or five 30-minutesessionsThere will be independent work (homework) associated withthis lesson. This is the suggested time spent; adapt asneeded to your own situation.Commentary:Students learn best when transferring knowledge from thefamiliar to the unfamiliar. Therefore, before launching intoa unit about orchestral instruments, begin by allowingstudents to think about and experiment with commonobjects as an introduction to the study of instruments andtheir various timbres. This lesson assumes that studentshave a solid grasp of sound and silence, vibrations andpitch. Most students understand the larger an instrument orvibrating mass, the lower it sounds. Activities are designedto give students an opportunity to test hypotheses firsthands-on and then apply them to other situations.Experiments include having students touch vibrating tuningforks to their fingers, desktops, drumheads, coffee cans(with bottoms removed) and other surfaces, whichencourages them to think about what qualities affectsound. Students are asked to write about their findings,Comm1

<strong>Sound</strong> <strong>Production</strong> on Instruments andwith the Human Voice - Grade FourCommentary (continued):which promotes use of the language and vocabulary of music and the science of sound.The homemade instrument assignment requires students to apply the lessons learned toan individual project.Dedicate one lesson to an overall introduction and pre-assessment. Next, teach soundproduction on strings, winds and percussion instruments. Intersperse exploration of thehuman voice where appropriate connections can be made to other instruments. This canbe taught in 30-minute periods or addressed individually. Reserve the final classsession for sharing homemade instrument projects by the students. Depending on thenumber of students in your class, the sharing of homemade instruments may require twoclass sessions.Pre-Assessment:Initiate a discussion with students. Sample questions include:• What is sound? [that which can be heard]• What causes sound? [vibrations]• How do different objects produce sound? [something vibrates such as strings, airor drum heads]• What causes the vibrations to occur on an object or instrument? [One hits them,strums them, taps them, plucks them, scrapes them or blows into them.]• What makes some sounds different from others? [size, shape, thickness, material,whether they are hollow or solid]Lead students to brainstorm orally as many sounds as they can name. Determine whichsounds are musical, and which are not. [While music can be defined as sounds that areorganized in time, for purpose of this lesson we will differentiate between instrumentand vocal sounds and environmental sounds.]Record their ideas on the board.• What do all sounds have in common? [They can be heard.]• What causes sound? [vibrations]• What vibrates to produce sound in different instruments? [strings, membranes, vocalcords, air]• What makes some sounds different from others? [size, shape, thickness, materials,whether they are hollow or solid]•2

<strong>Sound</strong> <strong>Production</strong> on Instruments andwith the Human Voice - Grade FourObserve students for responses. Do they seem to have a solid grasp of the basic concepts ofsound production? Allow students to make music in some of the ways they mentioned byplaying simple patterns on rhythm instruments. Since this will be a classroom setting, largegroup, oral, informal pre-assessment will be implemented. Depending on the responses,adjust instruction accordingly.• Distribute Attachment A, Musical and Environmental <strong>Sound</strong>s. Ask students to listsounds heard in their environment. Have them listen quietly for one minute. Then, havethem name all the sounds they heard. Have them categorize the sounds into two lists:musical and environmental.Have each student write a paragraph explaining how musical sound is made, following thisprompt by the teacher: “What happens when musical sound occurs? What causes that soundto happen?” These will be assessed based on knowledge content, and not writing skills.Collect these to use as pre-assessment tools. These will then be returned to students alongwith a copy of the pre-assessment guide to use as a reference throughout the lesson.Instructional Tip:Teachers may choose to assess student understanding of sound production informally ratherthan by written paragraphs. Students may address the writing prompt as a group, with onestudent acting as recorder for the group.Scoring Guidelines:Use the checklist, Pre-Assessment Guide, Understanding Musical <strong>Sound</strong>, to determine thecurrent level of understanding students have about sound production, by applying it to theparagraph students wrote. Students who include five or more items from the checklist in theirparagraphs are considered proficient. Use the results from the group scores to guideinstruction and remediation. At this level, most students know that sound is the result ofvibrations, but not the extent to which physical properties affect sound production. This willbe a focus of the lesson.Pre-Assessment Guide, Understanding Musical <strong>Sound</strong>Musical sound is the result of vibrationsMusical sound can be high or lowMusical sound can be soft or loudThe length and size of an instrument affects its pitchThe presence of a resonator affects the sound of an instrumentTightening or loosening of strings, drum heads, lips, or vocal cords affects thepitch and timbre of a musical soundThe speed of vibrations affects the pitch of a musical soundYes No3

<strong>Sound</strong> <strong>Production</strong> on Instruments andwith the Human Voice - Grade FourGeneral Tip:Students or teachers may choose from a variety of activities in which to participate,depending on the time and resources available. Students may be allowed to workindependently, in small groups, or in a large-group setting when carrying out experimentswith sound. There are many fine collections of experiments available through sciencetextbook companies that explore the science of sound. See Materials and Resources.Colleagues also are good sources for materials. Teachers may create their own experimentsto address the indicator. For example, use a tuning fork to help students see and feelvibrations. Do the same with traditional instruments like the piano or guitar. Have them strikethe fork on a solid object such as a desk, then touch the tines. Then, have them repeat thestrike and place the tines in a basin of water. There are many variations on these activities.Be creative!Post-Assessment:Each student will make a homemade instrument to present to the class. He or she will berequired to explain how it was made, what materials were used and how those choices affectthe sound of the instrument. Students will be required to tell classmates what family ofinstruments (wind, string, percussion) the instrument would belong to, based on the way itproduces sound. See Attachment B, Homemade Instrument Project Rubric.General Tip:If students conducted experiments as part of this lesson, the results of their experiments willbe recorded and scored according to the rubrics specific to each experiment page. These maybe ready-made or teacher-generated assessments.Instructional Tips:• If it is unrealistic in your classroom setting to ask students to make instruments outside ofclass, consider collecting common materials for them to use. Some fast-food restaurants anddelis will donate Styrofoam containers and cups that can be used to make simple homemadeinstruments.• A letter should be sent home to parents to explain the instrument project. In the letterinclude Web sites and book titles that may be used to help the students with their projects.Explain the purpose and objectives of this lesson and of the project itself.Scoring Guidelines:• Ask students to describe the way sound is produced on various instruments as they maketheir individual presentations to the class and in class discussions. They may useclassroom instruments in their explanations. Have them demonstrate ways of using theirvoices and explain, using basic terms of music and anatomy, how musical sounds areproduced by the voice. A rubric will be used for the individual instrument projects. SeeAttachment B, Homemade Instrument Project Rubric.4

<strong>Sound</strong> <strong>Production</strong> on Instruments andwith the Human Voice - Grade Four• Listen to responses of students, both individual and in a group, through question andanswer exchanges.Students will be assessed by informal discussion, written response, and extended projects ontheir knowledge of sound production.Instructional Procedures:Day One: Introduce the lesson. Conduct pre-assessment activities.1. Discuss sound production with students. See pre-assessment.2. Distribute a paper on which students classify lists of sounds.3. Have students write paragraphs about sound production.4. Select a variety of classroom instruments. Include a triangle, resonator bell or cymbal,and a hand drum. Ask the students, “If I play these instruments, will you be able to hearthe sound they make?” Then, ask them, “When I play these instruments, will you be ableto feel the sound they make?” Strike the triangle. While it is still ringing, allow studentsto stop the sound by placing their fingers on the bar, individually. Take turns until manystudents have had a chance to do it. Then, ask them, “What did you feel when you putyour fingers on the triangle?” Repeat this exercise with different instruments andstudents. Lead the students to discover that all sound is the result of vibrations. Dosimilar activities with hand drums of various sizes.5. Review the discoveries from today’s lesson. Review the vocabulary used:• <strong>Sound</strong> [The sensation that is perceived by one’s sense of hearing.]• Found sounds/Environmental sounds [<strong>Sound</strong>s that are present in everyday life suchas a car horn, train, wind.]• Musical [<strong>Sound</strong> that is organized within time, demonstrating structure.]• Vibrations [Rapid rhythmic motion back and forth; quiver]Provide students with copies of the vocabulary words and definitions. These may be postedon a “word wall” and included in a list that students keep in their music folders or portfolios.Day Two:6. Review the previous lesson. Respond to written pre-assessments via class discussion,emphasizing points that directly address the identified indicator.• What is sound? [That which can be heard.]• How is sound produced? [by vibrations]• What things affect sounds? [physical characteristics such as size, shape, material,density]• How many different kinds of sounds can be made with the human voice? [talking,singing, whispering, shouting, whistling, humming, silly sounds]7. Put children into groups of three, and distribute one large, one medium and one smallrubber band. Also, give them one coffee can per group. Tell them to keep the rubber5

<strong>Sound</strong> <strong>Production</strong> on Instruments andwith the Human Voice - Grade Fourbands inside the coffee can until further instructed. Hand out Attachment C, RubberBand Experiments, on which the students will record their findings. Allow about 10minutes to complete these activities. Each student should contribute, and they should taketurns writing answers from the group on the paper.8. Collect papers and materials. Ask students to share what they learned. Then, ask them toapply what they learned about sound characteristics of rubber bands to stringedinstruments, including the piano. If stringed instruments of any kind are available, letindividual students conduct similar experiments with them in front of the class. Showstudents a picture of the workings of the human voice, noting the different labeled parts.• “How do the vocal folds behave like the rubber bands?” [They get thinner andthicker as the voice changes pitch.]• “How do strings on a stringed instrument behave like the rubber bands?” [Theysound higher when they are pushed down and made shorter].9. Lead students to identify the group of instruments whose main means of soundproduction occurs with strings as the “string family.” Have them name as many stringedinstruments as they can list, from the orchestra, band, folk, pop and ethnic genres. Usepictures and real and recorded examples to illustrate. See Materials and Resources. Didthey list the human voice as an instrument? If not, include it and discuss briefly.10. Ask the students to experiment with their voices. Have them speak, hum, and sing. Askthem to sing low sounds and high sounds. Then, lead them in a question and answerdiscussion.• What do you think happens to your vocal folds when you sing a high pitch?” [Theyget thinner.] Think about the rubber band.• What happens when you sing a low pitch? [The vocal folds get thicker.]• How do they feel different? Did it feel like they were thinning or thickening theirvocal folds when they changed pitch? How are vocal folds similar to strings oninstruments? [The vocal folds stretch and get thinner and tighter to make highersounds, just like strings.]Instructional Tip:The language thicker and thinner to describe the changes in the vocal folds can be understoodby fourth grade students. Use child-friendly terms to help students understand.11. Let the children listen to a recording of people using the human voice in unusual ways.Select something like Bobby McFerrin performing, Tibetan monks chanting (Tuvanthroat singing), African tribal songs or vocal percussion groups. Discuss their reactionsto the music they heard.12. Show the students a stringed instrument. Let them put their fingers on the strings and theresonator to feel the vibrations. Play recordings of stringed instruments and showpictures of them.6

<strong>Sound</strong> <strong>Production</strong> on Instruments andwith the Human Voice - Grade FourInstructional Tip:Young students tend to have trouble differentiating between pitch and volume. Somestudents think of “higher” as “louder” because of the volume controls on electronic devices.These classroom activities can help them see and hear the differences and understand theconcepts that determine pitch. Conducting experiments with levels of water in glasses,lengths and thickness of rubber bands, etc., can help them understand difficult concepts suchas how the size of resonator or material that is vibrating determines the length and speed ofvibrations (frequency) thus affecting the pitch of the sound. This applies to vocal sounds aswell as instrumental and other sounds.13. Review orally using vocabulary and main ideas learned in this lesson with the wholegroup. Implement peer review. For example, tell students to explain to each other howthe pitch of a rubber band changes as it is stretched. Tell students that they are going tolearn during the next music class about ways to make sounds on music instruments withwind.Day Three14. Review the main concepts learned in the previous two lessons. Review the family ofinstruments that has strings, and show several examples, using pictures or realinstruments. Ask a student to explain what he or she learned about strings bydemonstrating with the rubber bands and coffee can. [The coffee can made the soundricher and louder.] Also, demonstrate the effects of a resonator on a guitar, violin orother instrument.15. Ask students to figure out how one would make sound on a collection of items placed ona table in the front of the classroom using air. Include some of the following: severalpen or marker tops of various sizes, several soda bottles of various sizes, a funnel, alength of copper or plastic plumbing pipe. Let students come to the front of theclassroom and pick up objects, explaining or demonstrating to the class their predictionsof how they will sound when blown into or through. Either the student or the teacher canthen test those predictions by blowing across the tops of the pipes, bottles, or markers.Ask the students questions:• How does the size of the object affect the sound’s pitch? [The larger the object, thelower the pitch.]• If the space in the vibrating object is large, will the frequency [number of vibrationsper unit of time] be faster or slower? [slower]• What does this teach us about how frequency affects pitch? [The faster thefrequency, the higher the pitch.]• What instruments can you name that make their sound by blowing air through acolumn? [flute, piccolo, recorder, penny whistle, etc.]7

<strong>Sound</strong> <strong>Production</strong> on Instruments andwith the Human Voice - Grade Four16. Show the students a trumpet mouthpiece. Ask them to tell you how it is played. Moststudents will say one must blow into it. Demonstrate blowing into it without buzzingyour lips. Ask students “What is wrong?”; Why didn’t it make any sound?” Experimentwith responses, until someone figures out the buzzing action. Tell students that brassinstruments require three main parts: a mouthpiece, tubing, and a bell to produce sound.Take out a short piece of garden hose, three or four feet in length. Place the mouthpiecein one end and buzz lips. Ask the students, “How did the sound change?” [It was lowerin pitch.] “Why?” [Because the tubing made the column longer.] Next, add a funnel tothe opposite end of the hose from the mouthpiece. Again, buzz lips in the mouthpiece.Ask the students, “How did the sound change?” [It got louder.]”Why did that happen?”[Because the funnel projected the sound coming from the tube, like a megaphone does.]If you are comfortable doing so, play a few simple songs on the homemade trumpet.Explain how tightening and loosening the lips also affects the pitch. Use a trumpet,trombone or any other brass instrument available to demonstrate that the more tubing aninstrument has, the lower its pitch range will be.17. If your students play recorders, use recorders to reinforce the concepts of this lesson. Letstudents explore what happens to the pitch as they cover the holes with their fingers.18. Demonstrate playing a wind instrument or use a recording to illustrate thetimbre of various wind instruments. Live demonstrations show students more clearly howthe instrument works. Invite older band students to demonstrate for the students. Thiscan also be a good recruiting tool for the band program19. Review the lessons learned in this session. Review vocabulary used (See vocabularylist) and add new terms to the lists in their folders. Ask students to draw conclusionsabout sound production relating to pitch, volume and timbre. Use informal observationto assess student understanding.Differentiated Instructional Support:Instruction is differentiated according to learner needs, to help all learners either meet theintent of the specified indicator(s) or, if the indicator is already met, to advance beyond thespecified indicator(s).• Students who have difficulty with the writing parts of this lesson can have other studentsor people scribe for them, or they can record their responses on a tape recorder.• Use a multisensory approach when teaching this lesson. The nature of the activities lendsitself well to many types of learning styles and limitations because it contains auditory,tactile and visual components such as listening to pitches change as levels of water in abottle change, touching a vibrating triangle or seeing the ripples in a basin of water whena vibrating tuning fork is submerged in it. This lesson is designed so that different8

<strong>Sound</strong> <strong>Production</strong> on Instruments andwith the Human Voice - Grade Foursegments of the lesson can be experienced by all learners. The goal is to help all studentsmake the necessary connections required in the indicator.• Written or oral responses to pointed questions relating to the indicator can be used forassessment. The product (the homemade instrument) will be graded according to arubric, with consideration given to the ability of each student.• Students who quickly grasp concepts of selected indicators can extend their learning byhelping other students at learning centers.• Students may draw pictures that demonstrate what they have learned.Extensions:• Students who quickly grasp concepts of selected indicators could develop unique sets ofexperiments for the class to use.• Students could make homemade instruments and learn to play short melodies on them forthe class. An original melody would be even better!• Have students illustrate sound production in drawings with text balloons todescribe/explain the images.• Put the students’ instrument projects in a showcase to share with other students. Have thestudents help with placement, labels and decorations for the display.• Invite children who play instruments to come into the classroom and demonstrate soundproduction to the class.• Ask students to invent new instruments on paper, perhaps those that can produce musicalsound in a variety of ways. Have them explain their concepts. Then post their creationson a bulletin board in the classroom.• Instruct students to conduct science of sound experiments in their science class if it isn’tpossible to do them in music class. Work with the science teacher on this!• Have students conduct research about sound production and instruments, and writereports. These could be published in a school newspaper or on the school Web site. Itmight also be connected to students’ language arts class where such a report can beincluded as a part of the student’s general class work.• Have students to create short sound pieces, using as many different vocal sounds aspossible. Have them perform them for the rest of the class.• Have students create accompaniments to a known songs or songs of their own creationusing their homemade instruments. It might even be a song about sound!Home Connections:• Instruct students to explore instruments from around the world via the Internet, anddecide how their sounds are produced from what they learn about them. They may makelists of what they find, and categorize them by the way their sounds are produced.• Involve students’ families in the homemade instrument project. They also can list soundsthey hear at home and compare the list to the ones they made at school. They also may9

<strong>Sound</strong> <strong>Production</strong> on Instruments andwith the Human Voice - Grade Fourmake lists of sounds from other environments and transfer the knowledge they learnedabout sound production to the new items.Interdisciplinary Connections:Content Area: ScienceStandard: Physical Science –Grade TwoBenchmark C: Recognize sources of energy and their uses.Organizer: Forces and MotionIndicators: 1. Explore how things make sound (e.g., rubber bands, tuning forks andstrings).2. Explore and describe sounds (e.g., high, low, soft and loud) produced byvibrating objects.Content Area: ScienceStandard: Physical Science –Grade FiveBenchmark F: Describe the properties of light and sound energy.Organizer: Nature and EnergyIndicators: 6. Describe and summarize observations of the transmission, reflection, andabsorption of sound.7. Describe that changing the rate of vibration can vary the pitch of a sound.Another possible connection would be that of Scientific Inquiry (K-2) Benchmarks A, B andC.Materials and Resources:The inclusion of specific resources and references to particular musicians, composers orworks of music in any lesson developed by the Ohio Department of Education should not beinterpreted as an endorsement of the particular resource, musician, composer or work ofmusic. The Ohio Department of Education does not endorse any particular resource,musician, composer or work of music.The Web addresses listed are for a given site’s main page, therefore, it may be necessary tosearch within the site to find the specific information required for the lesson. Please notethat information published on the Internet changes over time and the links provided may nolonger contain the information related to a given lesson. Teachers are advised to preview allsites before using them with students.Note: Some Web sites contain material that is protected by copyright. Teachers shouldensure that any use of material from the Web does not infringe upon the content owner’scopyright.10

<strong>Sound</strong> <strong>Production</strong> on Instruments andwith the Human Voice - Grade FourFor the teacher:For the student:chalk board, dry-erase board or chart paper, chalk, marker, variousclassroom instruments such as barred instruments, triangles, bells,tuning forks, rubber bands, coffee cans with one end removed, basinsfor water, blocks of wood, stringed instruments, wood blocks, toneblocks, tuned percussion tubes, glasses or bottle for water, brassinstrument mouthpiece, short section of garden hose, common funnel,markers and pen tops, short pieces of plastic or copper plumbing pipe,a variety of traditional instruments, if availablerecordings, videotapes and games that demonstrate a variety ofinstrument sounds such as Andre Previn Orchestra Kit; Meet theInstruments; Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, LeonardBernsteinBooks on science of sound: Science Experiments With <strong>Sound</strong>, Levine,Shar & Johnstone, Leslie. Sterling Publishing, 2002; Rubber-bandBanjos and Java Jive Bass, Sabbeth, Alex;Books on instrument making: Cardboard Folk Instruments to Makeand Play, Waring, Dennis, Sterling Tamos Publishing, 2002; KidsMake Music, Hart, Avery & Mantell, Paul, Williamson Publishing,1993; Music Crafts for Kids, Fiarotta, Noel & Fiarotta, Phyllis,Sterling Publishing, 1993, Musical Instrument Design: PracticalInformation for Instrument Making, Hopkin, Bart, Sarp Press, 1996.set of materials for each group of students, sheet of chart paper foreach group, individual worksheets, paper and pencilsThe materials for the homemade instruments will come from home.Vocabulary:*Term in the Fine Arts Academic Content Standards Music Glossary.• duration*• dynamics (loud, soft)• environmental• found sounds• frequency*• pitch (high, low)• music*(-al)• range• resonator* (sound box)• silence*11

<strong>Sound</strong> <strong>Production</strong> on Instruments andwith the Human Voice - Grade Four• sound*• timbre• vibration• vocal foldsVocabulary words may be introduced in a formal manner or as they occur in the lesson.Students may enter the words and brief definitions in their journals or portfolios or foldersfor future reference. It’s also helpful to have them posted around the classroom. Languagearts teachers may choose to reinforce use of these words in their classes.Technology Connections: (See Materials and Resources)• Students can use the Internet to explore instruments from around the world.• Students can use the Internet to research instrument projects.Research Connections:• Gokhale, Anuradha A. Collaborative Learning Enhances Critical Thinking. Journal ofTechnology Education, Volume 7, Number 1, Fall 1995.• Marzano, R., Pickering, D., Pollock, J. (2001). Classroom Instruction that Works:Research-based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement, Alexandria, Virginia:Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.General Tip:If you choose to do centers with opportunities for experimentation, it would be advisable tohave things set up and ready to go before students enter the classroom. Do not put more thanfive children in a group, and use either the clock or a timer to indicate when students shouldchange stations. Also, be prepared for spills, as the students will be working with glasses,bottles, and pitchers of water for some things. This can be hectic but is very effectiveeducationally. Avoid doing too many rotations in one 40-minute period because there is notadequate time for students to process and record their findings. It might be best to work withthe classroom teacher or science teacher when planning this part of the lesson.Instructional Tip:An alternative to the stations and group work would be to invite individual students to thefront of the class to conduct the experiments with input and feedback from the rest of theclass.Attachments:Attachment A, Musical and Environmental <strong>Sound</strong>s12

<strong>Sound</strong> <strong>Production</strong> on Instruments andwith the Human Voice - Grade FourAttachment B, Homemade Instrument Project RubricAttachment C, Rubber Band Experiments13

<strong>Sound</strong> <strong>Production</strong> on Instruments andwith the Human Voice - Grade FourAttachment AMusical And Environmental <strong>Sound</strong>sName _______________________________Make two lists below. Include sounds produced by the singing voice and by instruments onthe list called “Musical <strong>Sound</strong>s.” List other sounds you hear under “Environmental <strong>Sound</strong>s.”Have fun!MUSICAL SOUNDSENVIRONMENTAL SOUNDS14

<strong>Sound</strong> <strong>Production</strong> on Instruments andwith the Human Voice - Grade FourAttachment BHomemade Instrument Project RubricName: _______________________________________Construction4 Instrument is wellconstructedandnicely decorated.3 Instrument reflectssome effort onconstruction anddecoration.2 Instrument reflectssome alteration toan existing form to“make” theinstrument.1 Student’s projectreflects an existingform with little orno alteration.InstrumentFamilyStudent can correctlyplace instrument intocategory of string,wind or percussionand explain why.Student can correctlyplace instrument intocategory, but cannotexplain why withoutprompts.Student cannotidentify the family towhich his or herinstrument belongs.Student cannotidentify the family hisor her instrumentbelongs to even withprompts.Presentation <strong>Sound</strong> <strong>Production</strong> TOTALStudent included allcomponents requiredin presentation. Heor she did so withoutprompts from theteacher.Student includedmost componentsrequired inpresentation withoutprompting.Student includessome componentsrequired inpresentation withoutprompting.Student has to beprompted to provideany componentsrequired inpresentation.Student can producemany good-qualitysounds on the instrumentand explain how thesound is produced.Student is able to producea good-quality sound onthe instrument.Student is able to producea sound on theinstrument.Student is unable toproduce a sound on theinstrument.15

<strong>Sound</strong> <strong>Production</strong> on Instruments andwith the Human Voice - Grade FourAttachment CRubber Band ExperimentsWork with two partners of your choice. Take turns doing the activities and write down theresults on this paper. Have fun!Students’ names: ___________________, ___________________, __________________1. Select the thickest rubber band. Tell one partner to hold it by each end, loosely. Pluck therubber band. What kind of sound did you hear?(quiet? loud? low? high?)thick rubber band medium rubber band small rubber band2. Have the same partner stretch the rubber band so it is thinner. Pluck it again.How was the sound different from the first sound?3. Ask the same partner to stretch the rubber band even thinner, being careful notto break it! How did the sound change?Switch places with one of your partners. Have him or her select the medium rubber bandand give it to the third partner. Repeat the steps above with the new rubber band. Yourecord the answers this time. Finally, let the last person take a turn writing, and repeatthe first three questions about the smallest rubber band. Record your findings and discussthem.16

<strong>Sound</strong> <strong>Production</strong> on Instruments andwith the Human Voice - Grade Four4. What did you learn about the sound of rubber bands? Which ones were thelowest in pitch? Which were the highest? Were you able to get both low andhigh sounds from every rubber band?Next, stretch one of the rubber bands across the top of an empty coffee can. Experimentwith the sound of the rubber band. How does putting it over the coffee can change thesound?Let everyone in the group take a turn experimenting. What did you learn?Did you like the sound better when the rubber band was on the coffee can? Why or whynot?17