PR-0552UK Primary Science - Book 2

Making sounds
Sound ~ Activity 2
Objectives
• explore ways of making different
sounds using a variety of
materials
• design and make a range of
simple percussion instruments
Working scientifically
• Questioning
• Observing
• Predicting
• Investigating and experimenting
• Recording and communicating
Designing and making
• Exploring
• Planning
• Making
• Evaluating
Background information
We hear sounds when vibrating air
hits our ears.
We hear sounds when the vibrations
travel to our ears. The bigger the
vibration, the louder the sound. The
bigger the size, the more sound
energy. The harder you hit, blow or
strum an instrument or object, the
louder the sound.
Sounds can travel through many
different materials. Ways to produce
sounds include banging, scraping,
tapping, strumming, purring,
plucking, blowing, twanging and
drumming.
Before the lesson
Materials needed
• Drinking straw, jar with lid, counters, elastic bands, cereal box, glass bottle,
steel ruler, tins, pebbles, cardboard tubes, biscuit tin, dried peas, greaseproof
paper, bottle tops, plastic bottle, string, cardboard, paper, adhesive tape, blutack®
etc.
Preparation
• Organise the pupils into groups of five or six. Distribute the materials evenly
between each group.
The lesson
Stimulus
• Play a variety of instruments. Ask the class to describe the sound (high,
low, loud, soft etc.) Ask the class how the sound was made; for example, by
banging, scraping, tapping, strumming, purring, plucking, blowing, twanging
and drumming. Write these words on the board to help the class make their
instruments.
What to do
• Pupils have a variety of materials available to them to create a musical
instrument. Working in pairs or independently, the pupils choose materials to
create an instrument.
• Pupils make their instrument.
• Ask for volunteers to show and play their instruments.
• Pupil complete the worksheet.
After the lesson
Answers
• Answers will vary
Additional activities
• Pupils plan another instrument. This time they create a design plan for their
instrument, labelling the materials they need and explaining how they will
construct it.
• Pupils play with a number of instruments (drums, tambourine, recorder etc.)
and describe how the sound is being made.
Viewing Sample
Display ideas
• If available, take photographs of the pupils making and playing their instruments.
Display the photographs in the classroom.
52 PRIMARY SCIENCE ~ Prim-Ed Publishing ~ www.prim-ed.com