Sounds You See, Hear, and Feel

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...

Listen in as Mia and Sam expound on sound. It is caused by vibrations and travels in waves. It has the qualities of pitch, frequency, and volume. This hip animation displays a graph to depict the frequency and amplitude of sound waves....

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.

Using a karaoke machine, a guitar, and other devices, learners explore the way sound waves travel. Using this hands on approach, learners can get a better understanding of wavelength, frequency, and more.

This teacher playlist demonstrates the Sound Waves unit investigations where the students investigate how sound travels.

This student playlist demonstrates the Sound Waves unit investigations where the students investigate how sound travels.

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. 

Eighth graders develop ideas related to how sounds are produced, how they travel through media, and how they affect objects at a distance.

In this unit, 8th graders develop ideas related to how sounds are produced, how they travel through media, and how they affect objects at a distance.

There are four embedded links in this brief resource that take you to handouts or worksheets that assist young musicians in understanding standing sound waves. They'll play their instruments to show and then discuss different sound waves.