Tuesday, May 15, 2018

First Grade Sound Studies

The First Grade has been studying sound as part of our greater Sound and Light unit.  We have investigated how the ear works, and used a plastic cup to model the mechanism of the eardrum.  We then drew how sound enters the ear and is picked up by our brain.  We investigated a variety of sound stations, using drums, guitars, tuning forks, and our own voice - exploring the connection between vibrations and sound.  Lastly, we engineered and tested our own cup phones, maximizing the sound quality and exploring why some design elements were more successful than others.


voice as vibration

drum makes beans jump

tuning fork makes water waves

guitar strings make paper buzz


which is better - loose or tight?

Which works better, not pinching the string...

or pinching the string?

which is better close or far?