Possible productive
questions:
I wonder if the sizes of the
tuning fork make a
difference.
How long do the bowls ring
when you strike them with
the spoon? The paint brush?
Why do the glass bottles
sound different from each
other?
What if you put the timer
inside of a box or under a
bag of water, does it sound
the same?
How can sound be used for
safety?
Key concepts and
vocabulary:
Sound is made through
vibration
Sound can vary in pitch (high
or low) and volume (loud or
soft)
Sound is a form of energy
that can be put to work
(sonar, echocardiograms,
ultrasound, surgery, etc.)
Sound travels best through
solids, next best through
water and least best through
air
Sound can be used as a
signaling system for animals
as well as people (bats,
whales, warning bells)
Additional questions:
How is the object making
sound?
How can you change the
sound?
Document if you can see,
feel, smell, or taste the
sound.
Explore: Distribute the choice
menu and allow students several
class periods to interact with the
materials. It may be desirable to
limit the number of choices
available at one time to four
stations. This will encourage
deeper exploration. It may take
several class periods to offer all of
the choices for exploration.
Investigate tasks at
stations.
Take notes in science
notebook
Draw diagrams and
images to record findings
in science notebooks.
Discuss work with peers
while investigating.
Explain: Have a class debriefing Research in non-fiction
in which students share the
books to find supporting
findings of their investigations.
evidence.
Create a list of evolving concepts Record text evidence in
and terms. Listen for student
their notebooks using a
evidence to introduce the words
colored pencil next to
vibration, energy, volume and
their own experimental
pitch. Refer students to nonfiction
findings.
texts for corroborating evidence of
their findings.
.
Elaborate: Have students return
to their investigations and select
one investigation to present as a
poster in a gallery walk. The
posters may contain a variety of
visual representations: t-chart,
flow chart, Venn diagram,
photographs, drawings, or
Focus on one of the
exploration choices to
explore in depth.
Create a poster detailing
their investigation listing
questions, actions and
results.
Posters should include
Dr. Margilee P. Hilson • The Ohio State University • Autumn Semester 2012
