PBS
Wetland Band
Create an animal chorus as learners explore the sights and sounds of the wetlands. Individuals begin by listening to the animal calls of local frog and toad species. They then try to replicate the variety of sounds using common items and...
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The Science of Sound and Musical Instruments
Students identify the components of sound. They describe the relationship between pitch and frequency and explain the terms sympathetic vibrations and resonance.
They perform simple experiments about the world of sound and explain the...
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Manipulate Sound Waves
First graders use the scientific process to investigate sound in the classroom and at home. They participate in several hands-on activities exploring sound. They then are introduced to sound vocabulary such as muffled, sharp, and tinkling.
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Transformation of Energy- Sound
Sixth graders investigate how sound is made by vibrating matter. They work with a ruler and a rubber band to produce different types of vibration which makes different pitches of sound. They record their observations of the noises made...
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Sounds Like Science - Kazoo
Students discover that energy is needed to produce sound. They see that identifying where the energy comes from enables us to control the type of sound produced. They play the kazoo and manipulate the sound in a variety of ways.
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Changing Sounds
Young scholars identify how the pitch of an instrument can be altered. They complete a worksheet by labeling several images in order of pitch and then fill a bottle with water to create a sound that matches a pitch on a drawn card.
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Loudspeaker
Young scholars study the different types of loudspeakers and how they work. In this sound instructional activity students create their own loudspeakers.
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Making Waves, Making Music, Making Noise
Sixth graders watch a demonstration on how talking cans produce sounds. In groups, they compare and contrast the sounds from different sized cans. They participate in a variety of activities to discover how sounds are made and how...
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How They Get Building Materials Out of the Ground
Learners experience a virtual quarry. In this science musical lesson plan, students understand how materials are quarried and manufactured from rocks, musically interpret a quarrying sequence with untuned musical instruments, and...
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Producing Sounds
Third graders examine items that make sounds. When given craft sticks, 3rd graders practice making different sounds with them. Sticks are rubbed together or placed partially on a desk and plucked. Afterward, students discuss the types of...
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Archeologists For a Day
Students listen to a reading about fossils and go on a hunt for items with fossil characteristics. In this cross curricular fossil lesson, students will examine their fossil finds and create a graphic organizer. Students listen to...
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Wave Motion
Students observe and identify various waves. In this wave motion lesson, student use a Slinky, noise, people, and musical instruments to create waves and observe how each type of wave moves.
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The Listening Walk
Students play instruments that reflect sounds in the story: hoots, toots, creaking, shrieks, clacking, crunching, whooshing, etc. They make vocal sounds from the story: whispered, sniffled, sigh, giggled, croaked, laughed. The...
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MUSICAL ELEMENTS OF THE LITTLE PRINCE
Learners demonstrate knowledge of musical instruments and the families of the orchestra. They acknowledge different voice types found in opera. Students interpret emotional expressions through listening. They compose sounds to express...
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The Energy of Music
Students discover how engineers use sound energy. They participate in hands-on activities in which they discover how we know sound exists. They identify different pitches and frequencies as well.
San Francisco Symphony
Admirable Armonica Admirers
What do Ben Franklin and Wolfgang Mozart have in common? Find out about the musical invention, the armonica or glassy-chord. Learners will read about how Ben Franklin invented this new instrument and how Wolfgang Mozart came to play it....
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Our Five Senses
Students identify their five senses and how the are used everyday. As a class, they develop a list of sounds they hear at a zoo and compare them with a list of sounds they hear at a park or school. They create an instrument on their...
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The Sounds of Samba
Students research the origins of Samba in Brazil using the internet. After defining new vocabulary, they locate the cities in Brazil using latitude and longitude which practice the Samba. In groups, they compare and contrast the...
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The Sound of Calm
Learners examine the relationships that exist between ocean currents, wind and climate. Using those relationships, they discuss how they affect the oceans. They create their own music to represent the sounds of the ocean and share them...
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The Grapes of Wrath: Scrapbooks and Artifacts
Students complete research to enhance their reading of "The Grapes of Wrath". Using the text, they identify and locate cultural artifacts and discuss their symbolic connotations. As a class, they create a museum exhibit of the various...
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Comparing Data
Eighth graders create a survey, gather data and describe the data using measures of central tendency (mean, median and mode) and spread (range, quartiles, and interquartile range). Students use these measures to interpret, compare and...
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Composing Music
Students explore music appreciation by reading sheet music. In this musical score analysis lesson, students utilize their individual instruments to play the song "Peter and the Wolf." Students listen to an online version of the song and...
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Evaluating Music
Students identify an object by drawing something that reminds them of how they feel when they are calm or at peace. In this music lesson, students depict a musical instrument making peaceful music, and then an instrument making loud...
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Types of Popular Music
Students listen to different types of music, such as bluegrass, rap and blues. They identify different styles of music and musical instruments. They discuss how the music reflects culture.