Sound

Winnie Koo                     Ravenswood School
                               4332 N Paulina
                               Chicago IL 60613
                               (773) 534-5525

Objectives:
       
       To demonstrate different ways to produce sound.
                                                        
Strategy:
       
       Ask students to think of any way they can to make sound.  Write it 
  down on the board and then try to categorize it.  Students may be confused
  in the beginning, but they should have a better understanding after they 
  have gone through the activities.
  
  Activity #1

Materials: 

       a clothes hanger, a 15-foot thin rope

Strategy:

       (1) Have a volunteer tie the rope to the hook of the hanger.
       (2) Pull the rope hard to ensure the knot is secured.
       (3) The volunteer will hold the end of the rope, wraped around his/her 
           hand two times, and walk to an open area.
       (4) He/she will then start swinging the hanger in the air.
           People around should be able to hear the sound being produced by the 
           hanger. 

  Discussion:
       Ask who can tell what made up the sound.  The answer may vary, 
       but basically the sound is being produced by the vibration of the 
       hanger through the air.  (This is a simulation of string instrument.)
 
 Activity #2

Materials:

       two wooden blocks with handles

Strategy:
 
       (1) Have a volunteer hold the blocks by the handle.
       (2) Hit the blocks together to produce certain kind rhythm.
  Discussion:
       Explain to students the method just demonstrated to produce sound is 
       called percussion.  Ask them if they can think of a similar way to 
       produce sound.