Learning About Sound and Vibration

This week we explored the concept of sound and vibration.  We also talked about what media the children are aware of that produces sound.  We heard answers such as; radio, Cds, and Ipods, but only a couple knew what a record album was or even a cassette tape.  These are defiantly modern times.  I showed the children a record and then we did a fabulous experiment my husband taught me.  We placed the album on his turntables and using a sewing needle placed through a tunnel of construction paper, the children heard music coming from the cone of paper.

the children were transfixed as they heard music come
 out of a piece of paper. and we talked about how the vibration of sound is what is traveling through the cone.

Here I am showing them, but then they each took turns.  It is a little tricky so they need some assistance, and if you try this at home, use a record you do not mind getting scratched.

Click on the play button below to hear the music

We also played with a tuning fork, which the children enjoyed hitting on the floor and then shaking to get an altering sound.  From this, our conversation on vibration continued.  We talked about other things that vibrate, such as our tongues when we all would say buzz, or on this particular day it was raining, so we pounded on the floor like thunder and one of the children pointed out that the floor was vibrating.  We also talked about instruments that make sounds when things vibrate, such as guitar strings.  It was a neat conversation because we sing and create music a lot at school, but we never really talked about the creation of sound.

After our discussion we went into art time where we set the children up with acrylic paints and

discarded records.  I then put on a mix of different styles of music.  The children were invited to paint on their records in the rhythm of the sounds they were hearing.  We saw things like swirling motions for soft music such as Celtic music and drumming  and dabbing motions when the African drumming and Herbie Hancock were played.

Click play on the picture below to see the process:

A finished Album