Sound

Science | Year 4 | Unit Overview

Introduction
This ‘Sound’ unit will teach your class about how vibrations cause sounds and how sounds travel, as well as how sounds can change pitch and loudness.
The children will learn about how sounds are made, carrying out demonstrations of vibrations, and completing a sound survey of their school. They will
work in groups to create a human model of the way particles pass sound vibrations on, and write and star in their own documentary explaining how
sound travels. The children will work in a hands-on way to explore pitch, and will use their understanding of how high and low sounds are made to create
their own set of pan pipes. They will have the opportunity to make a string telephone, and will use this to investigate how sounds change over distance
and through different materials. The children will work scientifically and collaboratively to investigate the best material for soundproofing, in the context
of making a music studio quieter. Finally, they will demonstrate their learning from the whole unit by designing and creating their own musical instrument
that will play high, low, loud and quiet sounds.

Assessment Statements
By the end of this unit...
...all children should be able to:
• Describe sounds around them.
• Identify high and low sounds.
Health & Safety • Identify loud and quiet sounds.
For purposes of hygiene, ensure that children do not share the straws • Observe how different sounds are made.
they use to make their pan pipes in lesson 3. In lesson 4, children should be • Describe how sounds change over distance.
reminded to take care when stretching the string of their telephones across • Participate in an investigation to find the best material
the playground, and they should be closely supervised to ensure they do not for absorbing sound.
trip or get tangled in the string. Children should be made aware that loud • Answer questions based on their learning using
sounds can damage their ears, and they should not use their soundproof prompts.
materials to listen to loud sounds in lesson 5. They should also be reminded • Create a musical instrument that will play different
sounds.
not to put anything into their ears. When carrying out investigations ensure
children are aware of how to use the equipment safely. • Predict what will happen in an investigation.
• Make observations.

...most children will be able to:

• Explain how sound sources vibrate to make sounds.
• Explain how vibrations change when the loudness of a
sound changes.
• Explain how sounds travel to reach our ears.
• Describe the pitch of a sound.
• Describe patterns between the pitch of a sound and
the features of the object that made the sound.
Home Learning
• Explain how sound travels through a string telephone.
Good Vibrations Sound Game: In this activity children have the opportunity
• Identify the best material for absorbing sound.
to use their knowledge of sound to play a fun and engaging board game
with friends or family. • Create a musical instrument that can play high, low,
loud and quiet sounds.
Sound Survey: In this activity children are challenged to complete their own • Make observations and conclusions.
sound survey indoors or outside, identifying the pitch and loudness of the • Be able to answer questions based on their learning.
sounds they hear.
• ...some children will be able to:
• Explain how we hear and interpret sounds.
• Explain that sounds travel differently through different
materials.
• Identify and explain patterns between the pitch of a
sound and the features of the object that made the
sound.
• Explain how sounds change over distance.
• Explain why sounds travel better through solids than
gases.
Wider Learning
• Explain why some materials absorb sound.
This website links to a game in which children have to complete several
• Explain how their musical instrument plays different
challenges about sound in order to help a mermaid get back to her home!
sounds.
This website has several useful films to use in the classroom to support • Set up reliable and accurate investigations.
children’s understanding of sound. • Make and explain predictions.
• Make and record accurate observations.
Book an educational workshop with Weapons of Sound, a band whose • Use scientific language to explain their findings.
instruments are all made from junk materials. • Be able to ask and answer questions based on their
learning using scientific language.

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Lesson Breakdown Resources

1. Good Vibrations • Rice

• Drum per group
To identify how sounds are made, associating some
• Tuning fork per group
of them with something vibrating, by identifying and
• Bowl of water per group
explaining sound sources around school.
• Data logger with sound sensor
• I can describe and explain sound sources
per group, if required.
• School map per group
• Access to locations around
school

2. Hearing Sounds • Rice

• Drum - per pair.
To identify how sounds are made, associating some of them
• A camera to film the children’s
with something vibrating, by performing a dramatisation of
performances, if required
how sounds travel.
To find patterns between the volume of a sound and the
strength of the vibrations that produced it, by performing
a dramatisation of how sounds travel.
To recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through a
medium to the ear, by performing a dramatisation of how
sounds travel.
• I can explain how different sounds travel.

3. Higher and Lower • String instruments

• Pitched percussion instruments
To recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through a
• Wind instruments
medium to the ear, by exploring how high and low sounds
• Straws (approximately 5 per
are created.
child)
To find patterns between the pitch of a sound and features • Sticky tape
of the object that produced it, by exploring and creating • String
musical instruments, and explaining how they change pitch. • Access to this clip
• I can explore ways to change the pitch of a sound.

4. String Telephone • Alarm clock

• Measuring stick
To recognise that sounds get fainter as the distance from
• Paper cup per child
the sound source increases, by exploring how sounds
• Compasses or sewing needles.
change over distance.
• String - kite string works well
To recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through a (Approximately 20m per pair)
medium to the ear, by making string telephones. • Access to the hall or playground
• I can investigate ways to absorb sound. if possible

5. Soundproofing • Small music player per group.

• Box per group, large enough to
To recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through a put the music players in
medium to the ear, by investigating the best material for
• Different materials to wrap
absorbing sound. around the boxes (ideas
• I can investigate ways to absorb sound. include tin foil, bubble wrap, tea
towels, sheets of cotton wool,
newspapers)
• Data logger with sound sensor
per group, if required

6. Making Music • Junk modelling materials

• Access to this clip
To recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through
a medium to the ear, by making a musical instrument and
explaining how it works.
To find patterns between the pitch of a sound and features
of the object that produced it, by making a musical
instrument and explaining how it works.
• I can make a musical instrument to play different sounds.

National Curriculum Aim Lesson Context Child Friendly

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