Our unit on sound is in full swing, and we've been working hard making new discoveries about how sound is all around us. Most recently, we made drums, went on a virtual field trip to learn about animal sounds, and explored the science behind how our ears process sound. We've been learning so much! We've looked at how string instruments make sound, and we've made pan flutes using straws. Now, we're looking at how drums make sound; specifically, how the material of our drum and our choice of drumsticks affects the sound we create. Students were given a choice between a plastic cup and a paper cup. Most choice plastic, but a few chose paper! Students were then allowed to decorate their cup using a combination of markers and stickers (we love some extra fine motor practice!). Once everyone's cup was decorated, we flipped them over and used them as drums. First, we used our fingers to drum. Then, we tried using our hands. Finally, we used classroom objects such as pencils and crayons as our drumsticks. This was by far the favorite choice, because it made such a great sound! Along with Mrs. Sidders' class, we had the opportunity to go on a virtual field trip the Great Smoky Mountains and learn all about the different animal sounds you can hear there. Thanks to some park rangers, we got to listen to some animal sounds and guess which animal made it. We also got to learn about how animals use their five senses to find food in their environment. It was a great connection to everything we've been learning so far! We got to put on our scientist hats recently to learn about how our ear processes sound. The students were fascinated by all the different parts! Everyone loved the cochlea, the part of the inner ear that looks like a snail shell and turns the vibrations into a nerve signal the brain can process. After playing a virtual game where we put the pieces of the ear in the right place, we used PlayDoh on the same diagram to practice forming the different parts. This was such a hit that we're bringing it back again tomorrow, and on Wednesday we'll be creating our own ear diagrams using construction paper. I can't wait to see how they turn out!
We have just one more month in this unit, and we'll be ending it with the creation of musical instruments using recycling. After all of this, I'm sure they're going to turn out fantastic!
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May 2024
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