What sound does a piccolo make? What's the difference between a violin and viola? What family does a timpani belong to? Take a tour through the different sections of an orchestra with an interactive reference tool.

Learners discuss physical places in which had good or bad acoustics. After reading an article, they discover the relationship between the physics of sound and concert hall acoustics. They calculate the speed of sound and compare their...

Learners examine the way they hear sounds. In groups, they label and identify the functions of the different parts of the ear. After reading a book by Helen Keller, they research the mechanisms of sound and how sounds are different...

Young scholars study the cycle of how we listen and hear our own speech. They examine sound waves, and the role of the nervous system in hearing. They investigate the cues besides lipreading that deaf people rely on for comprehension.

Young readers explore consonant sounds. In this beginning phonics lesson, learners fill in a beginning/middle/end vertical column chart with the sounds they hear in the pictured object. Practice spelling CVC words.

Students use a website to help them recognize that sound is generated in a variety of ways and from different sources. They determine that sounds vary in tone and loudness, and learn there are different ways to describe sound.

Students explore the sense of hearing. In this human biology lesson, students listen to the story Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? and give examples of how they use their sense of hearing everyday. Students pass around plastic...

Students analyze classic children's stories by creating story maps.  In this children's literature lesson, students read Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and practice retelling the story with picture cards that need to be put into...

Students study the issues and stakeholders involved in a beach replenishment project. In this beach replenishment lesson, students study the point of views for the various stakeholders in a beach replenishment issue. Students are...

Young scholars participate in a informal survey of their listening habits, then read a news article about the possibility of portable music players harming kids hearing. In this current events lesson plan, the teacher introduces the...

Twelfth graders analyze Ray Bradbury's use of techniques and elements of fiction as well as nonfiction in the novel Dandelion Wine. In this novel analysis lesson, 12th graders analyze the sensory techniques in Dandelion Wine. Students...

Students explore musical pitch. In this cross curriculum musical instruments and "sound" physics lesson, students identify and describe common traits of woodwind instruments. Students research "pitch" and what causes pitch fluctuation by...

Turn your classroom into a music studio as groups work together to determine why music sounds different when performed live versus a recording. After listening to some different music, each group picks a poem, creates a recording, and...

Students read and explore one of Emily Dickinson's nature poems, "A Bird Came Down the Walk-" through interaction with a variety of art forms. Clips of a hymn to hear meter and the viewing of bird images exposes them to the language and...

Students analyze the lyrics, instruments, sounds and technology from the song "Vertigo" by U2. They view a video presenting interviews with the band and complete a stage design for the live playing of the song.

Ever wonder how loud a sound has to be to cause damage? Young scientists explore sound properties by researching decibel levels. They discuss how sound is perceived by our ears and our brains and why it can cause negative health effects...

Fifth graders analyze a poem. In this poetry analysis lesson students read a poem, analyze it, and write a response. They write about their own thoughts on the poem's meaning and any feelings they have about the poem.

Students explore English by identifying segments of words in class. In this phonetics activity, students utilize flash cards which contain letters and mix them in order to create a "match" word. Students sound out the words they...

Learners explore hurricanes and tornadoes by conducting an experiment. In this weather pattern lesson, students define many extreme weather vocabulary terms and discuss the relationship with static electricity. Learners utilize plastic...

Fourth graders identify and explain three methods of hearing conservation, identify three causes of hearing loss and identify four sounds that are dangerous to be exposed to for an extended period of time.

Students explore physical science by completing a worksheet. In this sound perception lesson, students collaborate in small groups to research sound properties on the Internet and in libraries. Students conduct a listening experiment by...

Students participate in an interactive video to review the five senses. They perform hands-on activities to test their sense of hearing and play a hearing game from the Internet.

Young scholars explore Chinese instruments. In this Chinese instrument music activity, students listen to a performance by Liu Fang and describe the sounds they hear. Young scholars classify western and Chinese instruments according to...

Help your charges investigate visual art by identifying sounds that are associated with the images. They view art galleries online and discuss which sounds would be present if the image was a real life situation. Additionally, they...