Author:
VCU STEM Project 2, VCU STEM Project 1, VCU STEM Project 3
Subject:
STEM/STEAM, Science, Force/Motion/Energy, Matter
Material Type:
Lesson Plan
Level:
Upper Primary
Grade:
5
Provider:
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
Tags:
  • Compression Waves
  • ENergy
  • Matter
  • Science
  • Sound
  • Stem
  • VCU CISTEME STEM
  • VCU STEM Project
  • License:
    Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial
    Language:
    English
    Media Formats:
    Interactive, Text/HTML, Video

    Education Standards

    Compression Waves

    Compression Waves

    Overview

    After the completion of this module students will understand that sound travels in compression waves and must have a medium to travel. Sound also travels in liquids and gases. Students will also understand that sound waves are created by vibrations and capable of transmitting energy.

    This module was developed by Sarah Donnelly as part of a Virginia Commonwealth University STEM initiative sponsored by the Virginia Department of Education.

    Introduction

    After the completion of this module students will understand that sound travels in compression waves and must have a medium to travel. Sound also travels in liquids and gases. Students will also understand that sound waves are created by vibrations and capable of transmitting energy.

    During the Engage section, students will watch a video clip of the movement of guitar strings as they are being plucked. Students are asked to note what they are observing and what they are wondering. From there, in the Explore stage, students will be able to explore several different stations set up with materials that create sounds and demonstrate a transfer of energy. During the Explain stage, students will share their observations and experiences with each of the stations. The teacher will facilitate a conversation about the creation of sound waves, their movement, and their ability to transfer energy.

    Finally, students will have the opportunity to plan and carry out an investigation to prove that sound is created by vibrations and is capable of transferring energy. Students will be evaluated based on their ability to provide reasoning for the phenomena that they have created.

    This module is an excellent introduction to sound. There are connections to the structure of matter as well as the relationship between force and energy, so it is encouraged that those SOLs are taught prior to engaging in this 5E experience.

    Materials used for this lesson:

    Engage

    • video, paper/pencil or a digital platform like padlet and chart paper

    Explore
    Materials can be set up as stations or curated for each group of students

    • Investigation 1: tuning fork and a bowl of water*
    • Investigation 2: speaker and plate (with black construction paper taped to it; this allows for better visualization) with salt (rice, sand, or something similar could also be used)
    • Investigation 3: holding two fingers to their throat and humming
    • Recording sheet for each student (provided at end of lesson)

    *Any size tuning fork would work, and a cup can be used in place of a bowl if it is not available. When selecting a song or sound to play on the speaker, one with more bass will provide students with a more noticeable reaction.

    Explain

    • Chart paper
    • What does sound look like  (Credit: NPR Skunk bear on Youtube)
    • Science journal
    • Slinky and/or this compression wave demonstration video

    Elaborate

    • CER Model explanation (for teacher use)
    • Good Vibrations CER document (provided at end of lesson)
    • Tuning fork resonance and ping pong ball demonstration video
    • Materials for investigation can consist of whatever is available (some examples include: tuning forks, rules, rubber bands, cardboard boxes, portable speaker, drum, plastic/paper cups, paper, salt, balloons, empty tin cans, string, wood blocks, dominoes, ping pong balls, index cards, etc)

    Evaluate

    • Good Vibrations CER document
    • Video example of sound transferring energy
    • Video to support remediation if necessary

    Engagement

    Show the following clip (or one like it) to the class*

    iPhone 4 Inside a Guitar Oscillation

    While watching the video students should be writing down what they’re noticing and what they’re wondering. Students can use paper & pencil or a digital platform such as Padlet. If paper and pencil is used, the teacher should record their responses on chart paper.

    *Note: you can adjust the playback speed to slow it down so that students can see the different waves a little more easily

    Exploration

    Put students in groups of four.

    If possible, provide each group with a container of all the necessary materials, if supplies are limited set the investigations up as stations and have groups cycle through each one.

    Investigation 1: tuning fork and a bowl of water
    Investigation 2: speaker and plate with salt
    Investigation 3: holding two fingers to their throat and humming

    As students complete each investigation, they should refer to their recording sheet for directions.

    Explanation

    1. Allow time for students to share their experiences with each set of materials.

    2. As students begin to describe their experiences, keep a running list of the terms they are using to describe what they observed/experienced. Example: waves, movement, ripples, vibrations, sound.

    3. Focus on the work “vibrations” by circling it in the list. Write on the board “Sound is created by vibrations.” Ask students to describe how they can prove this claim to be true based on evidence from their investigations. If need be, lead students to a conversation about what caused the reactions (energy transfer) between the materials in each of the investigations to occur. Example: the vibrating tuning fork touched the surface of the water and it sprayed, or the vibrations from the speaker made the salt change position on the plate.

    a. In addition to addressing the vibrations, explain to students that the energy from the vibrations are what cause the water to spray and the salt to move, these are examples of the transfer of energy.

    4. Ask students to think of other sounds and what is vibrating to create it.

    a. Students who play a musical instrument have a depth of knowledge (that they may note even realize they have) that you can tap into.
    b.  An alternative could be including your music teacher in this part of your lesson to demonstrate how musical instruments vibrate to create sound.

    5. Next, circle the word “wave” and write on the board, “sound travels in waves.” Ask students to describe how they can prove this claim to be true based on evidence from their investigations.

    a. Waves created with the tuning fork in the water 

    6. Show students the video clip, “What does sound look like.” Ask students to pay close attention to what the sound waves look like.

    a. Watch: What does sound look like  (Credit: NPR Skunk bear on Youtube)

    What does sound look like


    b. Note: the schlieren effect is NOT the main focus of the clip
    c. Be sure to point out the “ripple effect” that shows the wave being transmitted from the source

    7. Introduce the term compression wave and its components; wavelength, crest and trough.

    8. Students should record this diagram in their science journals.

    a. If students need further hands on experience, a slinky can be used to demonstrate a compression wave, or a video can be shown if a slinky is unavailable.

    Compression wave demonstration

    9. At this point, bring it to the students attention that the “particles” are molecules that make up solid, liquids and gases (This is a perfect opportunity to connect back to the molecular arrangement in solids, liquids and gasses they learned about in the matter unit). Explain that in order for sound to be transmitted a medium must be present.

    a. Provide examples of sound traveling through matter

    i. vibrations start in the throat and travel through the air (gas) to your ear.
    ii. If you were in a pool and yelled to a friend underwater (liquid) they would still be able to hear you as the water molecules carried the sound to your ear.
    iii. Placing your ear to a table (solid) while someone knocks on the table from a distance away will carry the sound through the solid table to your ear.

    b. Ask, if students can think of a location where sound does not exist. Outer space, it is a vacuum.

    i. However if students are interested, as an extension, scientists discovered that the planets all have their own sound created by their magnetic fields; students could research/hypothesize what causes each planet to have its own unique sound.

    Elaboration

    “Good Vibrations”

    Students will be asked to plan and conduct an investigation to prove that vibrating materials can produce sound and transmit energy using the CER model (claim, evidence, reasoning) (credit Edutopia).


    Begin by showing students this video

    Tuning Fork Resonance + Ping Pong Ball


    Allow students time to discuss and try to explain what is happening in the video. (Teacher Note: In this video the vibration of one tuning forks is transferred through sound to another tuning fork.The ping pong ball bounces in response to this vibration.)

    Give students the materials they will have available to them to work with (some examples include: tuning forks, rules, rubber bands, cardboard boxes, portable speaker, drum, plastic/paper cups, paper, salt, balloons, empty tin cans, string, wood blocks, dominoes, ping pong balls, index cards, etc).

    Tell students that all of their “claims” will be the same but it will be up to them to complete the evidence and reasoning sections.

    Allow students time to brainstorm with their groups and test the materials to determine what they would like to use in their investigation.

    Students should follow the directions to set up their investigation on the Good Vibrations CER document.

    • Students should sketch their design in the space provided on the CER document. Observations should be recorded in the space provided as well as evidence from their observations.
    • Teachers can refer back to the CER information provided to guide students through the process.

     

    Evaluation

    Once students have completed their investigation and have filled out the claim and evidence section of their recording document, the reasoning section should be completed on their own and used to determine their understanding of how sound is created and able to transfer energy.


    If you need to provide scaffolds for students, here is an alternate idea:

    1. If students are unable to create a successful demonstration of sound transferring energy, show them this video and ask them to explain in their own words what is happening.
      Pump Up the Bass to Douse a Blaze: Mason Students' Invention Fights Fires

       

    2. If students need remediation, this is a great resource to use that covers sound waves and the transfer of energy (and a little bit more): https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat/physical-processes/sound/a/sound-is-a-longitudinal-wave 

     

    Review

    Sound is created by vibrations and moves in a compression wave. Sound requires some type of media to be transmitted and has the ability to transfer energy. Students are introduced to sound as a vibrating movement of an object in first grade (1.2). In Physical Science, the understanding of sound waves is expanded to include sound wave characteristics and interactions (PS.6).

    I recommend that this unit take 2-4 days, depending on your length of class period. Here is a suggested schedule:

    • Day 1- Engage and Explore phase
    • Day 2- Explain phase
    • Day 3- Elaborate phase
    • Day 4- Evaluation phase