Musical Instruments and the Science of Sound

Learning Resource Type

Classroom Resource

Subject Area

Arts Education
Science

Grade(s)

1, 4

Overview

Students will discuss vibrations, frequency, amplitude, and wavelength. They will observe instruments, hypothesize how sound waves are created, and experiment with creating sound.  

Science (2015) Grade(s): 1

SC15.1.1

Conduct experiments to provide evidence that vibrations of matter can create sound (e.g., striking a tuning fork, plucking a guitar string) and sound can make matter vibrate (e.g., holding a piece of paper near a sound system speaker, touching your throat while speaking).

UP:SC15.1.1

Vocabulary

  • vibrations/vibrate
  • matter
  • sound
  • evidence
  • experiments
  • conduct
  • create

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Sound can cause matter to vibrate.
  • Vibrating matter can cause sound.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Conduct investigations to provide evidence that sound makes matter vibrate and vibrating matter makes sound.
  • Make observations that can be used as evidence about sound.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Sound can cause matter to vibrate.
  • Vibrating matter can cause sound.
  • There is a cause/effect relationship between vibrating materials and sound.

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Planning and Carrying out Investigations

Crosscutting Concepts

Cause and Effect
Science (2015) Grade(s): 4

SC15.4.6

Develop a model of waves to describe patterns in terms of amplitude and wavelength, and including that waves can cause objects to move.

UP:SC15.4.6

Vocabulary

  • Patterns
  • Propagated
  • Waves
  • Wave amplitude
  • Wavelength
  • Net motion
  • Model
  • Relevant components
  • Peaks

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Waves can be described in terms of patterns of repeating amplitude and wavelength (e.g., in a water wave there is a repeating pattern of water being higher and then lower than the baseline level of the water).
  • Waves can cause an object to move.
  • The motion of objects varies with the amplitude and wavelength of the wave carrying it.
  • The patterns in the relationships between a wave passing, the net motion of the wave, and the motion of an object caused by the wave as it passes.
  • How waves may be initiated (e.g., by disturbing surface water or shaking a rope or spring).
  • The repeating pattern produced as a wave is propagated.
  • Waves, which are the regular patterns of motion, can be made in water by disturbing the surface. When waves move across the surface of deep water, the water goes up and down in place; there is no net motion in the direction of the wave except when the water meets a beach.
  • Waves of the same type can differ in amplitude (height of the wave) and wavelength (spacing between wave peaks).

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Develop a model to make sense of wave patterns that includes relevant components (i.e., waves, wave amplitude, wavelength, and motion of objects).
  • Describe patterns of wavelengths and amplitudes.
  • Describe how waves can cause objects to move.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • There are similarities and differences in patterns underlying waves and use these patterns to describe simple relationships involving wave amplitude, wavelength, and the motion of an object.

Scientific and Engineering Practices

Developing and Using Models

Crosscutting Concepts

Patterns
AE17.MU.4.8

CR Resource Type

Lesson/Unit Plan

Resource Provider

San Francisco Symphony

License Type

Custom
http://www.keepingscore.org/sites/default/files/lessonplans/KSEd_Musical_Instru…

Custom License Type (URL)

http://www.keepingscore.org/sites/default/files/Terms%20of%20Use%20for%20Lesson…

Comments or Notes

This chart is referenced in the lesson plan.  It explains how teachers have integrated music into the classroom.

Connection to Pathways to Integration chart

Approved Date

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