1. 5th Grade Amazing Earth January
Sound
5th Grade Amazing Earth
January
Presentation should take about 15 minutes to allow ample time for the experiment.
Some information is noted as optional and helps as background info for potential questions or additional information to share as time allows.
Not everything in notes needs to be reviewed, so make it your own and have fun!
Just keep an eye on the clock as the kids love the hands-on activities.
Ask students to sit on the carpet so the activity can be set up at their desks.
You may have to limit questions or the number of students who can answer a question if time runs short.
Ask helpers to:
familiarize themselves with the activity and its goal
set up during the presentation
Thank you for making Amazing Earth possible!

2. What is sound?
Sound is a form of energy made up of vibrations (called sound waves) that we can hear.
Sound waves are formed by objects vibrating.
Sound waves travel as vibrations through gas (like air), liquids (like water), and solid objects (like steel).
The size and shape of sound waves determines the kind of sound heard.

3. How do we hear sound? Click here for video The video is 4 min long.
Click the link. If the video does not project, select the Function and the F8 Keys TOGETHER. Then select Duplicate.

4. How is sound measured? Sound energy travels in waves.
Sound waves are measured in amplitude and frequency.
Amplitude (volume): Measures how forceful the wave is. This is measured in decibels (dBA) of sound pressure.
Frequency (pitch): Measures the number of sound vibrations (wavelengths) in one second. This is measured in hertz (Hz).
Humans can hear sounds in the range of 20-20,000 Hz.
Click here for the online hearing test – Listen for the frequency where you stop hearing sound.
Background/Optional Facts
The higher the amplitude, the louder the sound. Amplitude is the amount of energy in a compression (longitudinal) wave and is related to intensity and volume. For example, when a loud sound is heard, it is because many molecules have been vibrated with much force. A soft sound is made with fewer molecules being vibrated with less force.
The higher the frequency, the higher the pitch of the sound. Pitch is determined by the frequency of a vibrating object. Objects vibrating faster have a higher pitch than objects vibrating slower. A change in frequency of sound waves causes an audible sensation—a difference in pitch.
Hertz measurement example: A sound of 10 Hz means that 10 waves would pass a fixed point in 1 second.
60 second HEARING TEST - If the link does not work, select the Function and F8 keys TOGETHER. Then select Duplicate.
There is a GRAY box in the middle of the page with a small play button (DO NOT click the green Get Started).
This plays sounds from 0-20,000 Hz. Ask students to listen and see at what frequency they cannot hear the sounds anymore

5. What happens when a sound wave hits an obstacle?
Like other waves, sound waves don’t just stop when they reach an obstacle.
Reflection
Refraction
SAY: Like other waves, sound waves don’t just stop when they reach an obstacle.
Reflection: Sound waves bounce off an obstacle in a different direction. For example, an echo. An echo over a much shorter distance is called reverberation.
Refraction: Sound waves change direction as they pass from one medium to another. This bends the waves and changes the speed and wavelength. In the example picture, you can see that cool vs. warm air changes the direction that the sound travels. As sounds move through air of different temperatures, they will change direction, speed, and wavelength.

6. Fun facts about sound
A whip makes a cracking sound because it moves faster than the speed of sound.
There is no sound in space. Why?
Sound travels fastest through a solid, then thru a liquid and slowest through gas. Why?
Dog’s ears are more sensitive than humans ears so they can hear sounds humans can’t.
A whale's low frequency sounds can travel up to 10,000 miles and four times faster through water than traveling through air.
Dolphins, and bats emit sound waves to determine the location of things. After emitting the sounds, they listen for the echo and use the delay to determine the distance. Called echolocation, it is like a biological sonar. 
Acousticophobia is the fear of noises.
Melophobia is the fear of music.
Answers to questions:
Why is there no sound in space? Sound cannot travel through a vacuum. There is no matter for sound to travel through.
Sound travels more quickly through solids than through liquids and gases because the molecules of a solid are closer together. Sound travels the slowest through gases because the molecules of a gas are farthest apart.

7. What is engineering design?
Sound engineers use the design process to plan and implement sound systems.
Steps to engineering design:
Ask: What is the task?
Imagine: Brainstorm ideas and come up with the best one.
Plan: Draw a diagram. Make a list of materials.
Create: Follow the plan to create the design. Test it out.
Improve: What works? What didn’t work? What can be improved?
Walk the students through the steps of engineering design. They will use these steps to design their amplifiers and test them out.

8. Activity One – Designing an iPad amplifier
You are a group of sound engineers who have been asked to create an amplifier for your iPad.
Using the materials you’ve been provided, work together as a team to determine the goal, brainstorm ideas, design, and create your ideas.
Discuss improvements that you can make after your initial tests.
Remember the Engineering Design Process
The group will complete the first activity followed by the second. For the first activity, have the “sound engineers” work in groups of 2-3 to come up with their plan, design, and build their amplifier. The teachers will have iPads available in the classroom for this. Anticipate minutes.
Here’s an example website to get some ideas. They will likely come up with all sorts of cool things for this activity.

9. Activity Two – making a harmonica
Materials: 2 sticks, 1 wide & 2 small rubber bands, 2 straw pieces
Stretch wide rubber band around one stick.
Place one straw piece UNDER the rubber band.
4) Place the other craft stick on top
5) Attach one rubber band on the end with the straw.
6) Put the second straw piece on the other end ON TOP of the wide rubber band.
7) Secure the end with the second small rubber band.
Students will work individually to make a harmonica. Takes about 10 minutes and becomes noisy!
Students change the pitch by moving the straws, blowing harder or softer, changing the shape of their mouth.
From frugalfun4boys.com
Updated 11/19/18
What Happens If:
You move the straw?
You blow harder or softer?
You change the shape of your mouth?
make sure one straw goes on top of the rubber band and one goes underneath