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Science lesson plan · 4th grade (Year 5 in England) · 45 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 · 5 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? (Your ears pull the sound in / It does not need to travel / Vibrations travel through the air to your ears / Sound travels as light) → Vibrations travel through the air to your earsPrompt: Sound needs something to travel through.
  2. Sound: which statement is true? (Loud sounds do not involve vibrations. / Sounds get fainter as you move further from the source. / Sound travels through space between planets. / Sound cannot travel through water.) → Sounds get fainter as you move further from the source.Prompt: Can sound travel where there is nothing at all?
  3. Sound: which statement is NOT true? (Sound cannot travel through empty space (a vacuum). / 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 water.Prompt: Can sound travel where there is nothing at all?

Hook · 5 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 · 10 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 · 10 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. Water is poured into identical glass bottles to different levels. You blow across the tops. Which bottle gives the highest note? (the one with the least water / the empty one / they are all the same / the one with the most water (shortest air column)) → the one with the most water (shortest air column)Prompt: When you blow, the air inside vibrates.
  2. Pitch and loudness: which statement is true? (Longer strings make higher notes. / Hitting a drum harder makes a higher note. / Loud sounds always have a high pitch. / Bigger vibrations make louder sounds.) → Bigger vibrations make louder sounds.Prompt: Pitch is about how fast; loudness is about how big.

You do: independent practice · 10 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 · 5 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. / Loud sounds always have a high pitch. / Pitch is how high or low a sound is. / Longer strings make higher notes.) → 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 big drum with a loose skin / a drum with a very tight skin / a small drum with a tight skin / a tiny drum) → 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

    Pitch and loudness: which statement is true?

    • A. Hitting a drum harder makes a higher note.
    • B. Loud sounds always have a high pitch.
    • C. Pitch is how high or low a sound is.
    • D. Longer strings make higher notes.

  2. Question 2

    Pitch and loudness: which statement is NOT true?

    • A. Faster vibrations make higher-pitched sounds.
    • B. Bigger vibrations make louder sounds.
    • C. Humans can hear sounds from about 20 Hz to 20 000 Hz.
    • D. Longer strings make higher notes.

  3. Question 3

    Which drum makes the lowest sound?

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

  4. Question 4

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

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

  5. Question 5

    How do you make a drum sound louder?

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

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

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Answer key: Pitch and loudness

  1. 1. C. Pitch is how high or low a sound is.

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

  3. 3. C. a big drum with a loose skin

  4. 4. C. make it tighter or shorter

  5. 5. D. hit it harder

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