What a Sound Idea

What can science and music possibly have in common? A lot more than you might think. Guide young scientists through an exploration of these two seemly different subjects with a physical science resource based on Bill Nye the Science...

Building on the previous lesson, scholars use Slinkies to create standing waves. They graph waves on a calculator and then apply their knowledge to both sound and light waves. This is the fourth in a series of nine lessons.

If a tree falls in the forest and no person is around, does it still make a sound? Students view a short video segment to determine sound and decibel levels of various objects, including the loudest and quietest possible sounds humans...

Transforming a deep breath into beautiful musical notes, brass instruments represent an interesting combination of scientific understanding and artistic creativity. Traveling from the mouth piece to the bell, this short video...

Groups rotate through a series of stations and work with a partner to observe sound waves. Children describe sound in terms of pitch, volume, and frequency. To apply their new knowledge, the class considers how these observations can...

Sound waves travel pretty quickly, but humans can travel faster. Follow along with this short animated video as it investigates the physics behind the breaking of the sound barrier and the sonic booms that are created as a result.

What would our world look like if we could see sound waves? The simulation shows sound waves in a variety of applications. Scholars adjust the frequency, volume, and location of the listener to understand how to determine the speed,...

What if I said that you can build a homemade speaker out of a potato chip? Bestselling author and do-it-yourself expert William Gurstelle shows you how in his brief presentation at TEDYouth 2012. He encourages young people to be creative...

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. 

What causes sound? Groups of sound detectives use a variety of tools including ping pong balls, pasta noodles, raisins, rubber mallets, and a tuning fork to investigate what causes sound. The young Sherlocks conduct a series of...