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Science lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 30 minutes

Pitch and loudness

Light, sound and waves

CCSS NGSS.4-PS4-1CCSS NGSS.1-PS4-1England: KS2 Y4 Sound

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Pitch and loudness.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Sound comes from vibrations

Leads to: Parts of a wave; Parts of a wave: crest, trough, amplitude and wavelength; Frequency and amplitude of sound waves

Materials: Slinky or rope, Mirrors and torches, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Sound comes from vibrations). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. How does sound reach your ears? (Vibrations travel through the air to your ears / Sound travels as light / It does not need to travel / Your ears pull the sound in) → Vibrations travel through the air to your earsPrompt: Sound needs something to travel through.
  2. Sound: which statement is true? (Sound cannot travel through empty space (a vacuum). / Loud sounds do not involve vibrations. / Sound travels through space between planets. / Sound cannot travel through water.) → Sound cannot travel through empty space (a vacuum).Prompt: Can sound travel where there is nothing at all?
  3. Sound: which statement is NOT true? (Sound can travel through solids, liquids and gases. / Sounds get fainter as you move further from the source. / Sound cannot travel through water. / Sound cannot travel through empty space (a vacuum).) → Sound cannot travel through water.Prompt: Can sound travel where there is nothing at all?

Hook · 3 min

  • Ask the class to make a wave with a rope or slinky and describe what moves and what doesn't.
  • Share the objective: Pitch and loudness. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: How can you make a guitar string play a higher note?
  • Step 1: Faster vibrations give a higher pitch.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: make it tighter or shorter
  • Answer: make it tighter or shorter
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. How can you make a guitar string play a higher note? (pluck it more softly / make it longer / make it tighter or shorter / make it looser) → make it tighter or shorterPrompt: Shorter, tighter strings vibrate faster.
  2. Pitch and loudness: which statement is true? (Hitting a drum harder makes a higher note. / Pitch is how high or low a sound is. / Longer strings make higher notes. / Loud sounds always have a high pitch.) → Pitch is how high or low a sound is.Prompt: Pitch is about how fast; loudness is about how big.

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Pitch and loudness: which statement is true? (Hitting a drum harder makes a higher note. / Longer strings make higher notes. / Pitch is how high or low a sound is. / Loud sounds always have a high pitch.) → Pitch is how high or low a sound is.Prompt: Pitch is about how fast; loudness is about how big.
  2. Which drum makes the lowest sound? (a tiny drum / a big drum with a loose skin / a small drum with a tight skin / a drum with a very tight skin) → a big drum with a loose skinPrompt: Big, loose skins vibrate slowly.

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Sound comes from vibrations.
  • Use concrete materials: slinky or rope.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Parts of a wave; Parts of a wave: crest, trough, amplitude and wavelength; Frequency and amplitude of sound waves.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-4.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Pitch and loudness

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    How do you make a drum sound louder?

    • A. cover it with a cloth
    • B. use a smaller drum
    • C. hit it more gently
    • D. hit it harder

  2. Question 2

    Pitch and loudness: which statement is NOT true?

    • A. Pitch is how high or low a sound is.
    • B. Humans can hear sounds from about 20 Hz to 20 000 Hz.
    • C. Bigger vibrations make louder sounds.
    • D. Longer strings make higher notes.

  3. Question 3

    Pitch and loudness: which statement is true?

    • A. Hitting a drum harder makes a higher note.
    • B. Longer strings make higher notes.
    • C. Faster vibrations make higher-pitched sounds.
    • D. Loud sounds always have a high pitch.

  4. Question 4

    How can you make a guitar string play a higher note?

    • A. make it longer
    • B. make it tighter or shorter
    • C. pluck it more softly
    • D. make it looser

  5. Question 5

    Which drum makes the lowest sound?

    • A. a small drum with a tight skin
    • B. a big drum with a loose skin
    • C. a tiny drum
    • D. a drum with a very tight skin

  6. Question 6

    Water is poured into identical glass bottles to different levels. You blow across the tops. Which bottle gives the highest note?

    • A. they are all the same
    • B. the one with the least water
    • C. the empty one
    • D. the one with the most water (shortest air column)

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Answer key: Pitch and loudness

  1. 1. D. hit it harder

  2. 2. D. Longer strings make higher notes.

  3. 3. C. Faster vibrations make higher-pitched sounds.

  4. 4. B. make it tighter or shorter

  5. 5. B. a big drum with a loose skin

  6. 6. D. the one with the most water (shortest air column)