SHORT TERM GOALS:

(1) To introduce students to the characteristics of waves and sound.

(2) To provide students with a foundation for their future discussions about sonar.

(3) To show students that the "string telephone" is proof of the way sound operates.

TIME ALLOTMENT: 1 hour

CONTENT AREAS ADDRESSED:

(1) Science

(2) Language Arts

CONCEPTS ADDRESSED:

(1) Waves

(2) Sound

(3) Cooperative learning

(4) Writing a lab report

MATERIALS:

(1) Tracing paper

(2) Pencil

(3) Tape

(4) Rubber bands

(5) String

(6) Paper clips

(7) Cardboard tubes (i.e. toilet paper rolls)

PROCEDURE:

(1) Distribute a sheet that contains all of the terms that will be used to describe waves and

sound to the students.

(2) Students should know that there are two types of waves: mechanical and

electromagnetic. Sound is a mechanical wave because it needs a medium in order to

travel. As well, it is longitudinal in nature because it travels parallel to the direction

of motion.

(3) Students should know that three "ingredients" must be present for sound to occur: a

source, a medium, and a receptor.

(4) Ask students if they think that the "string telephone" actually works. After

listening to answers, put students in pairs and give each group:

2 pieces of tracing paper

1 pencil

2 rubber bands

10 to 15 feet of string

2 paper clips

2 cardboard tubes

(5) Each group should be given a lab sheet that gives the instructions about how to build

the "string telephone." Please refer to the lab sheet included in this unit as an

example.

(6) After building and testing their "string telephone," each group should work together

on their lab sheet to answer the questions. While students may work together on their

lab sheets, each student must do a sheet of his or her own.

(7) Once students finish their lab sheets, review the answers to the questions with them.

Collect the sheets and entertain any questions students might have.

ASSESSMENT:

(1) Group Participation Rubric
(2) Scientific Experiments Rubric
(3) Observation Checklist

EXTENSIONS:

(1) To prove to students that sound needs a medium through which to travel, activate a

small digital timer and place it in a bell jar. With a strong machine that will act as a

vacuum, suck the air out of the bell jar. Turn the machine off while leaving the bell

jar sealed. Students will no longer be able to hear the timer beeping since the

medium was the air in the jar.

(2) Sound travels through water five times faster than through air. To prove to students

that water is also a medium for sound, follow this procedure:

(a) Obtain some water, a freezer-weight zipper-style plastic bag, and a tuning

fork.

(b) Fill the zipper-style plastic bag with water. Seal the bag while making sure

that most of the air is let out of it.

(c) While a student holds the bag to his or her ear, another student should tap a

tuning fork. The end of the tuning fork should be held to the bag. The

student should hear the tone much better through the water bag than through

the air.

(d) Have students try this with different sounds.

REFERENCE LIST:

The "string telephone" procedure is adapted from:

Ardley, N. (1991). The science book of sound. San Diego: Gulliver Books. [ISBN: 0-15-200579-X]

The procedure for Extension #2 is adapted from:

Fleisher, P. (1995). Our oceans. Brookfield: Millbrook Press. [ISBN: 1-56294-575-0]

Go to:

Papier Mache Sea Monsters and Sea Monsters Poems lesson

Using Sonar to Map the Ocean Floor and Find Sea Monsters lesson

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St. Norbert College Ocean Voyager's Program