Sound and Vibrations 1: Rubber Band Guitar

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Here's how.

Grade Range

1st

Group Size

2 students

Active Time

30 minutes

Total Time

30 minutes

Area of Science

Physics

Key Concepts

Sound, vibration

Learning Objectives

Understand that vibration causes sound
Make a sound and identify what vibrates to cause the sound

Credits

Ben Finio, PhD, Science Buddies

Two pencils lay parallel on opposite sides to the opening of an empty tissue box and are secured by a rubber band

Overview

Young students know that they can hear sounds, but do they know what causes sounds? In this lesson they will learn that sounds are caused by vibrations, and they will build a fun musical instrument of their own.

In the Sound and Vibrations 2: Make Sprinkles Dance, students will learn that sounds can also cause vibrations.

NGSS Alignment

This lesson helps students prepare for these Next Generation Science Standards Performance Expectations:

1-PS4-1. Plan and conduct investigations to provide evidence that vibrating materials can make sound and that sound can make materials vibrate.

This lesson focuses on these aspects of NGSS Three Dimensional Learning:

Science & Engineering Practices	Disciplinary Core Ideas	Crosscutting Concepts
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions. Make observations (firsthand or from media) to construct an evidence-based account for natural phenomena.	PS4.A: Wave Properties. Sound can make matter vibrate, and vibrating matter can make sound.	Cause and Effect. Events have causes that generate observable patterns.

Next: Materials

Materials

An empty tissue box, two pencils, and a rubber band

For each group:

Tissue box with single hole in the top (not the kind with a hole that wraps around two sides), or small cardboard box with hole cut in the top. If using cardboard boxes, you will also need a box cutter or scissors (adult use only) and tape.
Rubber band that is big enough to stretch around the box and over the hole
Pencils, markers, or crayons (2)

Next: Teacher Prep

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