Sandra Montgomery

Hello? Can You Hear Me?

Grade Level: 2nd 3rd Grade
Time Allotted: 45 50 minutes
Class size: 28 students
Materials:
21 clear plastic cups
14 toothpicks
7 string or yarn 6 yards long
7 can 24 oz.
7 large balloons
7 Rubber band
Super glue
7 tablespoons salt
Charts: objectives and vocabulary words (attached)
Data sheet (attached)
Lesson Plan Hook sounds (attached)
Science journal
Teacher Preparation
Before attempting to do this lesson, prepare materials for the stations. In each station, have one
drum and telephone per partnered student. The instructions to make these are attached.
Run off any materials that is needed
Glue the questions in students science journal or you can have students cut and glue questions
into their journals.
Overview:
This lesson will show the students how sound is made through various activities. They will do a
couple of activities with a partner and in a center, and then close up with a final activity as a
class.
Students will go to two stations and after 15 minutes they will trade stations.
This lesson is set up for the use of journals. However, the teacher doesnt have to use journals,
attached is a data sheet for the students to fill out instead of using a journal.
By the end of class students will know that the only way that sound is made is through vibrations
that are defined by waves through the air.

Classroom Safety
You will be making can drums. File down any sharp areas inside the can so the student cannot
cut themselves. The main end is the open end where they will be speaking into it.
Content Area:
Energy: Physical Science Unifying Concept C
Science Achievement Indicators
P.2.C.1 Students know sound is produced by vibrating objects. I/L
Content:
Students will be able to demonstrate how sound is made.
Students will be able to describe how sound is made.
Key Vocabulary
Sound: Hearing vibrations through the air.
Vibrate: Small fast motions going back and forth.
Volume: How loud or soft sound is given.
Lesson Hook:
Have a variety of different sounds, for example: Have someone screaming, whispering, musical
instruments, jet flying. As you play each sound, ask the students, What do you hear? Let them
answer. After you have played them all ask the students, What do these all have in common?
Let them discuss for a few minutes. Have the sounds up and ready to go.
Lesson Sequence: The Italics are for the teacher only and the parentheses are the answers to
questions.
Take 5 minutes. Have the students get out their science journal. Place the vocabulary words up
on the Elmo or Smartboard and teach them the vocabulary words.
Take 5 minutes to discuss each station.
You are going to be divided into two groups. One group will be at station one and the
other group will be at station two.
At station 1: You are going to pair up, there will be a can drum. You will see salt on top
of the can, be careful not to take the cup off the top. As you are telling the students what
to do, model what you expect of them.
o You will gently tap the side of the drum and observe what happen, discuss for a
minute on what you saw.
o The person talking into the drum will sit on the floor so their partner can see what
is going on with the salt. Then you will gently lift up the can and it has to be

straight up and down. Talk soft at first, then change the tone of your voice from
soft to loud and the person observing will see what the salt does as this happens.
o The partner will describe what he/she is seeing to the person who is talking into
the can.
o Then switch places so the other person can observe what happens.
o Then answer the questions in your journal
Station 2: You will pair up with a partner. You will see telephones on the table. As you
are telling the students what to do, model what you expect of them.
o You need to tighten up the string so there isnt any slack to them otherwise it
wont work. One person will talk into one end as the partner listens. Then the
partner who listens will describe what he heard. You will then will trade places
and do the same thing.
o I want you to do it again, but this time as you talk into it gently touches the string
from the bottom. Then take your fingers and pinch the string and the person
listening should notice something as you are talking to them. Then you will
switch roles, that person gets to talk, feel the string and then discuss with each
other what you noticed.
o When you are done, answer the questions in your science journal.
You will have 15 minutes at each station. If you get done early, then talk about what you
observed in the activity you just did and what we could be learning about.
Have the students go back to their seats. Spend 5 minutes on this next activity.
Now I want you to put your hand on your throat. Without making any noise, I want you
to move your mouth. Think about what you are feeling. While doing this activity
continue to think about what you are feeling.
Now I want you to whisper.
Now talk in a normal indoor voice.
Now I want you to talk in a loud voice.
Ring a bell, or whatever you use to get your classes attention without yelling.
Talk to the person next to you and discuss for a minute for each person and explain what
you just felt.
What do you think this lesson is all about? Let the students answer first before showing
What was Taught Today. Place What was Taught Today up on the board.
How is sound made? Review the vocabulary word if they struggle.
Does this include every sound we hear? (yes)
Put up the objectives you wished for your students to learn. (Attached) Go over the
objectives. Ask them, How is sound made? Did you show how sound is made?
What did you do to show how sound is made?

Assessment
Have the students hand in their journal, and this will be their assessment.

Cross Curricular Extensions

Language Arts
Geography: Languages in different countries and music and the national anthem of various
countries.
Music

Lesson Hook
1. Dog growl: http://hootytuts.com/MusicDLs/Hw3/growl.wav

2. Glass breaking:
http://insomniaradio.net/audio/production/Impacts/Window%20Shatter%2001.wav

3. Clarinet:
http://www.astro.virginia.edu/~dmw8f/sounds/aas/sounds_web_download/clarinet.wav

4. Siren: http://www.galls.com/wav/galls_newwail.wav

5. Jet: http://apeyman.free.fr/sfx/transports/areactor.wav

6. Scream: http://www.shockwave-sound.com/sound-effects/scream-sounds/ahh.wav

Instructions to make drum and telephone

Drum
Materials:
1 - 24 oz. can with both ends cut out: want to at least file down the sharp ends from the pieces
cut out.
1 Balloon
1 Rubber band
1 clear plastic cup
Superglue
1 tablespoon salt
Step to make it:
1. Remove both ends from a can and file any sharp ends down.
2. Cut the narrow end off of the balloon and then stretch a balloon over one end of the can
and secure it with the rubber band.
3. Place salt in the middle of the drum.
4. Superglue the clear plastic cup onto the balloon, around the salt.
5. Do not shake it or use it until the glue is dry, it takes a little longer than you expect it to.

Telephone:
Material
Plastic cups
Toothpick
Yarn or string 6 yards
Steps to make it
1. Make a small hole just big enough for the toothpick to go through the center of the
bottom of each cup.
2. Push one end of the thread through the hole of each cup.
3. Tie each end of the thread to the toothpick so the thread cannot pull out of the hole of the
cup.
4. Pull the string on the other side of cup to take the toothpick back to the bottom of the cup.
You might have to break the toothpick a little to get it to fit.

Vocabulary Words
Sound: Hearing vibrations through the air.
Vibrate: Small fast motions going back and forth.
Volume: How soft or loud sound that is given.

Questions & Vocabulary Words to Paste in Journals

Telephone Station
1. What did you hear as your partner talked into the plastic cup?

2. How do you think you heard your partner through the cup?

3. What did you feel when you held the string?

Sound

Vibrate

Volume

Drum Station
1. What did you notice about the salt when you tapped the side of the
drum?

2. What did you notice to the salt as you talked into the bottom of the
can?

3. What happened with the salt when you changed the volume of your
voice?

How is sound made?

What was Taught Today?

That the only way that sound is made, is through vibrations
being made through air.

Objectives

Students will be able to demonstrate how sound is made.

Students will be able describe how sound is made.

Name: ______________________
Date:______________________

Sound Data Sheet

Vocabulary words
Sound: _______________________________________________________________________
Vibrations:_____________________________________________________________________
Volume: ______________________________________________________________________

Telephone Station
1. What did you hear as your partner talked into the plastic cup?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. How do you think you heard your partner through the cup?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. What did you feel when you held the string?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Drum Station

1. What did you notice about the salt when you tapped the side of the drum?
______________________________________________________________________________

2. What did you notice to the salt as you talked into the bottom of the can?
______________________________________________________________________________

3. What happened with the salt when you changed the volume of your voice?
______________________________________________________________________________