- recording device (optional)
- loud
- louder
- quiet
- sound
MA Standards:
Speaking and Listening/SL.PK.MA.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners during daily routines and play.
MA Draft STE Standards:
Physical Sciences/Matter and Its Interactions/PS4.B: Apply their understanding in their play of how to change volume and pitch of some sounds.
Life Sciences/From Molecules to Organisms/LS1/3.C: Use their sense in their exploration and play to gather information. [Structure and Function]
Head Start Outcomes:
Logic and Reasoning/Reasoning and Problem Solving: Classifies, compares, and contrasts objects, events, and experiences.
Logic and Reasoning/Reasoning and Problem Solving: Recognizes cause and effect relationships.
PreK Guidelines:
Mathematics/Patterns and Relations 8: Sort, categorize, or classify objects by more than one attribute.
Science and Technology/Living Things and Their Environment 15: Use their senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste to explore their environment using sensory vocabulary.
Explore Together (indoors): Body Sounds
© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.
STEM Key Concepts: Sounds have a source; An action has to happen to make a sound; Different objects make different sounds; Sounds vary in three ways: volume, pitch, and timbre
ELA Focus Skills: Speaking and Listening, Vocabulary
Tell children they will explore making sounds with different parts of their bodies. Ask children to make a sound with their feet. Say,
- Let’s see how many different sounds we can make using our feet. Let’s start with <child’s name>. Take turns having each child make a sound. If children can’t think of a different sound to make, encourage them to repeat one of the sounds already heard.
- Now have children make the same sound again, only this time, ask them to make it a loud sound. Say, Lisa, you made a stomp sound with your foot. This time can you make a loud stomp sound?
- Occasionally ask the next child to make the sound louder than the last child. Ask, Juan Carlos, can you make your shuffle sound louder than Lisa’s stomping sound?
- Repeat the activity having children make sounds with their hands.
Pose a challenge to children. Say, Let’s see how many sounds you can make using your mouth—but let's make sounds other than singing and talking!
- Have the first child make a loud sound (pop, smack, whistle, etc.)
- Then tell children you want each child to make a sound that is quieter than the sound the previous child made.
- Say, The last child to make a sound will be the quietest sound of all. We’ll have to listen very carefully to hear that sound.
- Repeat having children make sounds ending with the loudest sound. You may want to record sounds children make as they explore.
Reflect and Share
Have children think about other sounds their bodies make naturally, like the sound of a sneeze or their heartbeat or their stomach growling when they are hungry.
- Discuss how and why our bodies make natural sounds. Ask, What do you think your body is telling you when your stomach growls?