Sound Vibrations

How does sound travel through different mediums? Scholars explore this question by creating and observing sound waves as they learn the difference between transverse and longitudinal wave motion. Using their new knowledge, class members...

Wave goodbye to the same old demonstrations for alternative energy sources, and wave hello to this one investigating ocean waves! Using a water bottle to create an oscillating water column, learners see and possibly hear how the...

Young scholars design and construct a listening device that will allow them to listen to the sound generated by specific object inside a box.

Which travels faster, light or sound? Scholars work in groups to simulate the ability for waves to travel through solids, liquids, gases, and through a vacuum. Then, they learn about the properties of a mystery wave and must determine...

Make sound waves visible with an experiment that asks middle schoolers to build a model ear drum using plastic bottles, rubber bands, plastic wrap, and sand-like substances.

Students observe how sound waves would look and behave if we could see them. They determine ways the model is accurate and inaccurate based on actual sound waves.

Make music. Class members construct a simple record player using a paper cone and a pin. The resource provides a description of what is happening and why listeners can hear the sounds through the cone. 

Does your lesson plan for wave properties have its ups and downs? Get some fresh ideas from an informative video! The narrator discusses PS4A, showing the must-know ideas for each grade level through concept maps and demonstrations.

Trim the end of a straw to construct a vibrating wind instrument. Everyone in your class can make their own during a lesson on sound waves.

Learners use their teeth for more than just eating. The activity shows class members how to send sound through their teeth by using an electric motor connected to a radio to generate vibrations. Biting on the motor transfers the...