Homemade Instruments

Clara Williams                 Douglass Math and Science Academy
                               543 North Waller 
                               Chicago IL 60644
                               (312)534-6176

Objectives:

These activities can be used by all grade levels.
Students will identify what sound is and make musical instruments out of 
household items. 

Materials Needed:

8 glass bottles
spoon 
straws
shoebox
scissors

Strategy:

Activity 1:
                                                                    
1.  Take a soda straw and pinch one end flat. 
2.  Cut off the corners to form two little reeds.  The fact that it's cuttable 
    means you can make it into an oboe. 
3.  Hold the reeds in your mouth without squeezing them.  
4.  Now blow hard. 
5.  Carefully cut small holes along the length of the straw about one inch or so
    apart.  
6.  Blow in the straw while you cover and uncover the holes to play simple 
    tunes. 

Conclusion:

The two reeds opening and closing at high speed first allow air to flow into the 
straw and then stop the flow.  The vibrating air is what produces the sound.  

Activity 2:

l.  Take 8 glass bottles and fill each bottle with a little more water than the
    one before.
2.  Take a spoon and tap each bottle to hear a different sound.

Conclusions:

When you tap each bottle, it makes the bottle vibrate.  The pitch of the note 
depends on the amount of water in the bottle.  The pitch of note is lower with 
more water. 

Activity 3:

l.  Take a shoebox and cut a hole in the top.
2.  Place several large rubber bands of various widths around the box to make a 
    guitar. 

Conclusion:

The plucking of the rubber bands causes them to vibrate producing various 
sounds.  The thicker the band, the lower the note.  The thinner the band, the 
higher the note. 

Evaluation:

80% accuracy is successful.

References:

Herbert, Don, Mr. Wizard's Supermarket Science, Random House, NY