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Science · Ages 8–9 · 55 minutes

Sound and vibrations

Children explain that sounds are made by vibrations, that sound travels through materials to our ears, and that pitch and volume can be changed.

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Success criteria

  • I can explain that sounds are made by vibrations
  • I can describe how sound travels to my ears
  • I can change the pitch and volume of a sound

Key vocabulary

  • vibrate
  • vibration
  • sound
  • pitch
  • high
  • low
  • volume
  • loud
  • quiet
  • travel

You will need

  • plastic bowls covered tightly with cling film
  • a few grains of dry rice
  • elastic bands of different thicknesses
  • small boxes or tubs
  • plastic cups and string (about 5 m)
  • rulers
  • a drum or tambourine

Curriculum links

  • Year 4· England

Practice sheets

Generated fresh each time you press a button, and marked instantly on screen.

The lesson at a glance

55 minutes in all. Timings are a guide: follow your class.

  1. Step 1: Starter

    Ask everyone to rest two fingers gently on the front of their throat and hum, then stop, then hum again.
    6 minutes

  2. Step 2: Teach

    Explain: "Every sound is made by something vibrating: shaking backwards and forwards very fast.
    10–15 min

  3. Step 3: Guided practice

    Run three stations, rotating every five minutes.

  4. Step 4: Independent practice

    Use the practice buttons.

  5. Step 5: Plenary

    Hold up the ruler over the edge of a table (hold one end down firmly) and twang it.

  6. Step 6: Assessment for learning

    Do children connect every sound to something vibrating?

  7. Step 7: Differentiation

    Support: use only the jumping rice and the elastic band stations, with picture prompts for high and low.

  8. Step 8: Common misconceptions

    "Loud and high mean the same." Pitch is high or low; volume is loud or quiet.

  9. Step 9: Home link

    Make a shaker from a closed container and dry rice or pasta, then find ways to make it louder and quieter.

Children hear sound all day without thinking about what it is. This lesson makes vibrations visible with jumping rice, stretchy elastic bands and a string telephone, so they can see what usually only reaches their ears.

1.Starter

6 minutes

Ask everyone to rest two fingers gently on the front of their throat and hum, then stop, then hum again. "What can you feel?" Then whisper the same word. "What changed?" Take answers about buzzing or shaking. Six minutes.

2.Teach

10–15 min

Explain: "Every sound is made by something vibrating: shaking backwards and forwards very fast. When you hum, parts of your throat vibrate."

Tap a drum and place a few grains of rice on top. "Watch the rice. The drum skin is vibrating, even though it is too fast to see." Then explain how sound reaches us: "The vibrations pass through the air, from one tiny bit of air to the next, until they reach your ear. Sound can travel through solids and liquids too."

Introduce two ideas with the elastic band and box:

  • "Volume is how loud or quiet a sound is. A bigger pluck makes bigger vibrations and a louder sound."
  • "Pitch is how high or low a sound is. A tighter or thinner band vibrates faster and makes a higher sound."
  • drum
  • guitar
  • piano
  • trumpet
  • xylophone
  • ear
Different instruments, same idea: something vibrates.

The rest of the plan

Guided and independent practice, the plenary, assessment for learning, differentiation, common misconceptions and the home link are free with a Crayonbird account.

  1. Guided practice
  2. Independent practice
  3. Plenary
  4. Assessment for learning
  5. Differentiation
  6. Common misconceptions
  7. Home link
See the whole plan, free

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