Unit 9 — Sound and Communication
Description
Students investigate the properties of sound and how sound travels. They design and build musical instruments using recyclable materials, exploring how vibration and resonance produce different sounds. Students experiment with sound transmission and test how materials affect sound quality.
Essential Questions
- How is sound created and transmitted?
- How do different materials affect sound?
- How can we design instruments that produce specific sounds?
Learning Objectives
- Understand sound as vibration and waves
- Identify factors that affect pitch and volume
- Design and build a functional musical instrument
- Test how materials affect sound properties
- Explain connections between design and sound quality
- Collaborate on musical sound investigations
Supplemental Resources
- Rubber bands and strings for instrument creation
- Paper cups and containers for resonance chambers
- Straws and paper for construction
- Markers for decorating instruments
- Chart paper for recording sound observations
Physical Sciences
Engineering Design
Crosscutting Concepts
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Digital Literacy
Measurement
Number and Operations in Base Ten
Operations and Algebraic Thinking
Science and Engineering Practices
Standards for Mathematical Practice
Students engage in scientific and technical writing throughout STEM investigations. They document observations, create digital reports of findings, communicate design solutions, and record data using word processing and presentation tools. Students develop vocabulary through exploration of natural and engineered systems.
Students apply mathematical skills to analyze and interpret data from STEM investigations. They measure distances, record heights of plants, create graphs and line plots, calculate area and perimeter of structures, and use mathematical reasoning to solve design problems. Students employ data collection strategies and statistical analysis.
Formative Assessments
- Sound observations and listening activities
- Predictions about material effects on sound
- Prototype testing of instrument sounds
- Comparisons of different string or resonance chambers
- Reflection on design changes and sound quality
Summative Assessment
Functional musical instrument created from recyclables; documentation of design choices; comparison of sound before and after modifications
Benchmark Assessment
— not configured —
Alternative Assessment
Students may demonstrate understanding of sound properties through a hands-on sorting or matching activity where they group materials by sound quality, or through a recorded oral explanation of how their instrument produces sound. Visual diagrams or labeled pictures may replace written documentation of design choices.
IEP (Individualized Education Program)
Students may benefit from visual supports such as diagrams showing sound waves and vibration to build conceptual understanding before hands-on work begins. Directions for the design and build process should be broken into numbered steps with visual cues, and teachers should check in frequently as students move through each phase of construction. Oral responses and demonstrations with the physical instrument can serve as valid alternatives to written documentation of design choices, allowing students to show understanding in accessible ways. Providing a structured template with sentence starters for reflecting on design changes can reduce the cognitive load of written output while keeping the focus on scientific thinking.
Section 504
Students should be given extended time during prototype testing and design reflection tasks to ensure access to the full process without rushing. Preferential seating in a lower-distraction area of the room is especially important during listening and sound observation activities, where background noise can make it difficult to focus on target sounds. Written directions for the build and testing phases should be available in print so students can reference them independently throughout the unit.
ELL / MLL
Teachers should introduce key vocabulary—such as vibration, pitch, volume, and resonance—with visual supports like labeled diagrams and physical demonstrations before students begin investigations. Simplified, step-by-step directions paired with visual models of the building process will help students access the design challenge with greater confidence. Encouraging students to describe their instrument's sounds and design choices using a combination of home language, drawings, and gestures supports meaningful participation while vocabulary in English continues to develop.
At Risk (RTI)
Connecting the concept of sound to students' everyday experiences—such as familiar musical instruments or sounds in their environment—can build engagement and activate prior knowledge before new content is introduced. Offering entry points into the design challenge through pre-selected materials or a simplified version of the build (such as a single-variable test) reduces complexity while keeping students meaningfully involved in the scientific process. Frequent check-ins during prototype testing help teachers catch misconceptions early and keep students on track before the summative build.
Gifted & Talented
Students who demonstrate early mastery of sound properties can be challenged to investigate the relationship between multiple variables—such as string tension, chamber size, and material density—and document their findings with greater precision and scientific detail. Encouraging these students to consider the acoustical principles behind professional instrument design, or to research how engineers solve sound quality problems in real-world contexts, adds authentic depth to the engineering challenge. Their documentation of design choices can be extended to include quantitative comparisons or a formal argument connecting evidence from testing to conclusions about sound quality.