Amy Burton & Joni Little

Children’s Literature Lesson Plan

Title: “Vibrations”

Grade Level: Second Grade

Fiction Book

The Magic School Bus: In The Haunted Museum A Book About SoundBy: Joanna Cole

Ms. Frizzle and her class are on their way to the Sound Museum to play “Concerto for Invented Instrument” but Ralphie’s invented instrument does not work. On there way to the concert, their bus breaks down outside a haunted house. Hearing different sounds coming from the house the class and Ms. Frizzle decide to enter. Inside the house, they hear a variety of sounds coming from books and different rooms. Through a variety of rooms, Ms. Frizzle’s students explore vibrations and look for a fix for Ralphie’s instrument.

This book worked really well with our students in teaching the concept of sound through vibrations. Students seem to love the Magic School Bus series and this book kept our

students attentive and engaged throughout the reading.

Non- Fiction Support Books

Sounds All AroundBy: Wendy Pfeffer

The book begins by showing examples of sounds that people hear on a daily basis. The examples of sound the book starts with are sounds that are very relatable to young students including dry leaves and puddles. The book provides a detailed explanation of how sound is produced. Along with explaining how sounds are made the book also focuses on the purposes of sound for humans and animals. The book also includes colorful diagrams showing how vibrations are made

and how sound travels which is beneficial to students to be able to visualize.

This is a wonderful book to use when teaching about sound. It includes a lot of content but does so in a way

young children can visualize and understand sound concepts.

All About SoundBy: Lisa Trumbauer

All About Sound is a book to read in order to gain general knowledge of sound and how it works. The book gives many examples of how sounds are created through vibration of objects such as human vocal chords, guitar strings, stereos, and more. It also talks about how we hear sounds. Sound waves travel to our ears through vibrations that reach tiny bones in our ears. Sounds can travel through different mediums such as water, solids, and air.

This book is good to use when showing students examples of the different types of sounds. It is written in an easy to read format so students can read this book on their own.

SoundsBy: Jenny Karpelenia

The book discusses sound in more scientific terms in describing what sound is and the characteristics it holds than the previously mentioned books. Sound starts out with an introduction to energy. The chapter talks about energy as a law and how important it is because everything uses energy. The book talks about sound energy, sound waves, and the speed of sound. It goes on to describe volume, amplitude, pitch, and frequency in determining how soft or loud a sound is. There are certain organs in the body that receive sound through vibrations.

This book was very useful when preparing the lesson. It contains a lot of content that will be helpful when teaching sound

lessons.

North Carolina Standard Course of Study Science Standards

Competency Goal 4: The learner will conduct investigations and use appropriate technology to build an understanding of the concepts of sound.

Objective 4.01: Demonstrate how sound is produced by vibrating objects and vibrating columns of air.

Objective 4.05: Observe and describe how sounds are made using a variety of instruments and other “sound makers” including the human vocal cords.

Additional North Carolina Standard Course of Study Standards

Language ArtsCompetency Goal 2: The learner will develop and apply strategies and skills to

comprehend what is read, heard, and viewed.Objective 2.01 and Objective 2.06

Competency Goal 3: The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.

Objective 3.03

Competency Goal 5: The learner will apply grammar and language conventions to communicate effectively.

Objective 5.01 and Objective 5.03

Background Information for Teacher

This lesson was designed to help students understand sound especially the concept of vibrations by using centers and hands-on activities.

Ask students what sound is?o Something you hearo Type of energy made through vibrations

What are some examples of sound?o Snapping your fingerso Clapping your handso Drumso Talkingo Singingo Anything that you can hear

How does sound travelo Sound has to travel through something (some type of medium)o In waveso Can you see the waves?

No, invisible sound waves But it is like throwing a stone into a motionless body of water

and rings appearo Travels from the source by vibrations to your ears

Ask students how we hear sounds?o Through vibrationso Sound is caused by vibrating airo All sounds are produced by the vibration of objects

What are vibrations?o It is what is produced when an object moveso Vibrations are how we hear sounds

Back and forth motion (very fast) Motion moves the molecules of a surrounding medium, such as

air- pressure waves resulting from the alternate compression

and expansion of air, travel outward in all directions from the vibrating object. When our eardrums receive the vibration, they vibrate as well and send a signal through the ear to the brain, which interprets the sound.

Vibrations are produced by applying energy or force to an object by striking it with another object

Vibrations are also produced electronically by radios Vibrations are also produced by animals through their

movements Vibrations are also produced by natural events like

water, hurricanes, wind and thundero When the vibration is slow the sound has a lower pitch

You hear a lower noteo When the vibration is fast the sound has a higher pitch

You hear a higher note

Description of Science Activity

Read The Magic School Bus: In The Science Museum to students. After reading the book, discuss with students what the book was about, what sound vocabulary was mentioned and sound concepts.

After the discussion pair, students up and give each pair a “telephone cup”. If there are an uneven number of students the teaching assistant can be used as a partner or their can, be a group of three (make sure in the group of three that all students have a turn to try the “telephone”). The object is for students to try to figure out how vibrations travel by using the “telephone cups”.

“Telephone Cup”

Materials Eight paper or plastic cups Eight pieces of sting (each string about 12 inches long)

Pairs will use the pre-made paper cup telephones to see how vibrations travel. Partner One will whisper into their end of cup while Partner Two holds their cup up to their ear and will hold the string in-between the two cups tight. Next Partner Two will continue to hold the cup to their ear but will let go of the tight string between the cups (making the string holding the cups together loose). Students will observe what will happen. After all students have had a chance to experiment with the “telephone cups”, bring the class back together to share what they discovered about vibrations.

Additionally have two stations set up and split the class up into two groups if you have another adult to help you. If you do not have access to another adult, you can do these activities as a whole class. At one station, the children will be making their own instruments using tissue boxes and rubber bands. The other station will be using a tuning

fork in water so that they can actually see the vibrations. After the centers are complete, the class will meet again to discuss their observations and any questions they have.

Station 1: “Rubber-Band Box”

Materials Five Empty Tissue Boxes Ten Thin Rubber Bands (two for each box) Ten Thick Rubber Bands (two for each box)

At this station, students will use an empty tissue box and rubber bands to see how vibrations travel. Students will have their own tissue box and place four rubber bands around the box. Next, students can explore with their rubber band box by plucking the rubber bands. After a few minutes, students will pluck one rubber band at a time and hear the difference each band makes. While plucking the students should notice the vibrations of the bands.

Station 2: “Tuning Forks”

Materials Nine Student Sized Tuning Forks (one for each student at

the station) Nine Clear Containers of Water (plastic tumbler) (If available a larger tuning fork and clear plastic bowl of water so the teacher can

conduct a larger demonstration)

At this station, students will each have a student sized tuning fork and clear container cup of water. The teacher will start the lesson by using the larger tuning fork and larger container to show students what to do and allow them to see a larger demonstration. The teacher will hit his/her tuning fork against the bottom of their shoe or side of the table and then place the fork in water. Now, the students should use their own tuning forks and container of water to try the experiment themselves. Students will bang (knock) their tuning fork against the table and quickly place it in water afterwards. Have students try the activity several times to see the result.

Assessments

Students will be assessed based a worksheet they will complete at the end of the lesson. (Worksheet is attached)

References:

The Magic School Bus: In The Haunted Museum A Book About Sound by Joanna Cole

Sounds All Around by Wendy Pfeffer Class Notes from August 25th, 2009 “Making Sounds Activity”- Dr. Bradbury

Sounds by Jenny Karpelenia All About Sound by Lisa Trumbauer Sound Activity Book

provided by Mrs. FeltsSupplemental Worksheet:

1. Circle the objects below that you think involve vibrations when producing sound.

radio speaker clapping hands drumsinging

crying baby car engine piano wind

2. What are vibrations?

3. How does sound travel?

4. When experimenting with the “telephone cup” what happened when you held the string tight? What happened when you made the string loose?

5. At the “rubber band” station, did all the rubber bands sound the same? Explain your answer.

6. When experimenting with tuning forks, what did you see when you hit the tuning fork and placed it in water?