The Science of Sound
Recommended songs
Summary
Explore the science of sound through learning and seeing sound waves on stringed and percussion instruments.
The timing and pacing of the exercises in this lesson plan example are approximate and will differ depending on your students' skill level. If the pace of this lesson plan is too fast for you, divide it into several lessons and add additional activities (see 'Activities' section). If the pace of this lesson plan is too slow for you, explore the 'Beyond the lesson' chapter at the end of this lesson plan for additional activities.
⏰ Time: 40 min
🎓 Grades: 4-6
🎯 Objective(s): As a result of this lesson students will know and/or be able to...
- Understand the basics of physics and sounds
- Appreciate and understand the role of a sound engineer
- See how vibrations are made
💡 Required Prior Knowledge and Skills:
- Basic signs and symbols on the staff
- Knowledge of note values and notation
- Experience playing their preferred instruments.
💻 Materials:
- Solfeg.io web app best used with Chrome browser
- Projector or computer and access to WIFI
- Instruments to perform
- Elastic bands
Song suggestions:
Start of your lesson
🕐 5 min - Set up the classroom
- Load your chosen song (from the Song suggestion list);
- Find the part of the song you want to play for your students (e.g. Verse 1, Chorus 1)
- Make sure there are enough elastic bands for every student;
- Pre-record yourself playing the selected song on your phone where you have a hard time hearing yourself due to bad sound quality (Trust me! It’s for the lesson!)
Inspiration
- Tell students some facts about the song using the song description on the Solfeg.io Web App and play the song;
- Ask students:
What did you particularly like or dislike about the song?
Warm-Up
🕐 10 min - Q & A
- Have a class discussion about sound. Here are some guiding questions for your conversation:
What is sound?
Is ‘sound’ music?
How are sounds created?
What are elements of a sound?
How do we use sound in the world around us?
- Explain to students that sound is made up of vibrations or sound waves that we can hear. Have them take the rubber band between fingers and pluck it. Talk about what they have observed through plucking their rubber band.
Practice
🕐 5 min - Exercise 1:
- Teach students a part from one of the selected songs for this lesson on Solfeg.io
🕐 7 min - Exercise 2: (This will vary based on the type of instrument you are playing)
- For stringed instruments, pair up students and have them take turns playing the part. While one partner is playing, the other partner can take notes to see which string vibrates the fastest and which - the slowest.
- For percussion instruments, place uncooked rice on the top of drums and have students play the part. Their partner can observe which rolls and percussion techniques cause the rice to ‘jump the highest’ Then have the partners switch!
🕐 5 min - Exercise 3
- Explain to students that it is the sound engineer’s job to make sure the many lines of music in a song are recorded with a crisp sound and that all the music aligns perfectly. Listen to the Solfeg.io version of the song and then the recording of you playing the song. Discuss with students the difference in sound quality between the two and write down the words they use to describe it.
🕐 7 min - Exercise 4
- Have students play along with both your version and the Solfeg.io version of the selected song. Ask them which one they preferred playing with and why.
Reflection
🕐 5 min - Q & A
- Ask your students:
What did you learn about the science of sound?
What questions do you still have about sound?
How do we react to sound in our everyday life?
Beyond the Lesson
Challenge students to go beyond the lesson by...
- Researching where sound vibrations are used in jobs, machines, animals, to help our world function, etc.
- Doing a research project on how instruments make sounds
This lesson plan was created by Gina, a middle school music teacher and creator behind @musicpluscoffee
Gina received her Bachelor's of Music Education in 2014 and currently teaches music at a K-5 school. She is passionate about making music resources that are cute and modern, while keeping the fun and love for music alive! She believes music is important, music is powerful and that music can bring people together. That is why she is so passionate about what she creates.
"It has been such a pleasure getting to know the Solfeg.io program and the people behind it who are also very passionate about music. I look forward to hearing and seeing how you use these lesson plans I created in your classroom so please reach out to me on instagram @musicpluscoffee."
Summary
Mix and match activities to create a fun lesson on the science of sound. Integrate solfeg.io in teaching your students on how sound is created.
🎲 What’s included in the activities:
- Analyzing the song and discussing about the sound around us
- Learning to play a part of a popular song
- Observing the differences in sound in percussion and stringed instruments
- Learning about sound quality
- Playing a part of a popular song with different sound quality backing tracks
- Reflecting
- Ideas for homework & further lessons (Beyond the lesson)
💻 Materials:
- Solfeg.io web app best used with Chrome browser
- Projector or computer and access to WIFI
- Instruments to perform
- Elastic bands
Inspiration
🕐 Time: 5 min
🎯 Objectives:
- Analyze the song
🎶 Recommended Songs:
🎲 Activity:
- Load your chosen song (from the Song suggestion list);
- Find the part of the song you want to play for your students (e.g. Verse 1, Chorus 1)
- Tell students some facts about the song using the song description on the Solfeg.io Web App and play the song;
- Ask students:
What did you particularly like or dislike about the song?
Q & A
🕐 Time: 10 min
🎯 Objectives:
- Discuss about the sound around us
🎲 Activity:
- Have a class discussion about sound. Here are some guiding questions for your conversation:
What is sound?
Is ‘sound’ music?
How are sounds created?
What are elements of a sound?
How do we use sound in the world around us?
- Explain to students that sound is made up of vibrations or sound waves that we can hear. Have them take the rubber band between fingers and pluck it. Talk about what they have observed through plucking their rubber band.
Let's play!
🕐 Time: 10 min
🎯 Objectives:
- Learn to play a part of a popular song
🎶 Recommended Songs:
🎲 Activity:
- Teach students a part from one of the selected songs for this lesson on Solfeg.io according to their skills (e.g. teach them to play 1 rhythm line of the song, or split the class into several groups, playing various rhythm lines and/or chords with ukuleles, guitars).
See the sound waves
🕐 Time: 10 min
🎯 Objectives:
- Observe the differences in sound in percussion and stringed instruments
🎶 Recommended Songs:
🎲 Activity:
- For stringed instruments, pair up students and have them take turns playing the part learned in the previous exercise. While one partner is playing, the other partner can take notes to see which string vibrates the fastest and which - the slowest.
- For percussion instruments, place uncooked rice on the top of drums and have students play the part. Their partner can observe which rolls and percussion techniques cause the rice to ‘jump the highest’ Then have the partners switch!
Comparison
🕐 Time: 10 min
🎯 Objectives:
- Learn about sound quality
🎶 Recommended Songs:
🎲 Activity:
- (before the activity) Pre-record yourself playing the selected song on your phone where you have a hard time hearing yourself due to bad sound quality
- Explain to students that it is the sound engineer’s job to make sure the many lines of music in a song are recorded with a crisp sound and that all the music aligns perfectly. Listen to the Solfeg.io version of the song and then the recording of you playing the song. Discuss with students the difference in sound quality between the two and write down the words they use to describe it.
Good Quality!
🕐 Time: 10 min
🎯 Objectives:
- Play a part of a popular song with different sound quality backing tracks
🎶 Recommended Songs:
🎲 Activity:
- Have students play along with both your version and the Solfeg.io version of the selected song. Ask them which one they preferred playing with and why.
Reflection
🕐 Time: 5 min
🎯 Objectives:
- Consolidate the knowledge on the science of sound
🎲 Activity:
- Ask your students:
What did you learn about the science of sound?
What questions do you still have about sound?
How do we react to sound in our everyday life?
Beyond the Lesson
🕐 Time: 10 min
🎯 Objectives:
- Solidify the knowledge on the science of sound
🎲 Activity:
Challenge students to go beyond the lesson by...
- Researching where sound vibrations are used in jobs, machines, animals, to help our world function, etc.
- Doing a research project on how instruments make sounds
This lesson plan was created by Gina, a middle school music teacher and creator behind @musicpluscoffee
Gina received her Bachelor's of Music Education in 2014 and currently teaches music at a K-5 school. She is passionate about making music resources that are cute and modern, while keeping the fun and love for music alive! She believes music is important, music is powerful and that music can bring people together. That is why she is so passionate about what she creates.
"It has been such a pleasure getting to know the Solfeg.io program and the people behind it who are also very passionate about music. I look forward to hearing and seeing how you use these lesson plans I created in your classroom so please reach out to me on instagram @musicpluscoffee."