- chart paper
- glue
- marker
- recordings of sounds
- picture cards of sources of sounds
- tape recorder and/or CD player
- high
- highest
- loud
- loudest
- low
- lowest
- soft
- softest
- sound
- source
MA Standards:
Language/L.PK.MA.6: Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, listening to books read aloud, activities, and play.
Mathematics/Measurement and Data/PK.MD.MA.3: Sort, categorize, and classify objects by more than one attribute.
Head Start Outcomes:
Logic and Reasoning/Reasoning and Problem Solving: Recognizes cause and effect relationships.
Logic and Reasoning/Reasoning and Problem Solving: Classifies, compares, and contrasts objects, events, and experiences.
PreK Learning Guidelines:
English Language Arts/Language 4: Engage in play experiences that involve naming and sorting common words into various classifications using general and specific language.
Mathematics/Patterns and Relations 8: Sort, categorize, or classify objects by more than one attribute.
Explore Together (indoors): Pitch and Volume
© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.
Stem Key Concepts: Sounds have a source; Different objects make different sounds; Sounds vary in three ways: volume, pitch, and timbre;
ELA Focus Skills: Sorting and Classifying, Speaking and Listening, Vocabulary
Educator Prep: Make or play back a CD or recording of various sounds created or heard throughout the unit. Make picture cards to match each sound (one set for each group or pair). Make two individual two-column charts for each group or pair of children. One chart should have colum labels: “High”/”Low.” The second chart column labels are as follows: or “Loud”/”Soft”.
Review sounds of various pitch, volume, and timbre that children have explored in this unit.
- Demonstrate for children how to play the recorder or CD player.
- Tell children they will work together to listen to sounds and then find the picture that shows the source of the sound.
- Work the recorder or assign a volunteer. Play a sound and pause after each sound to allow small groups or pairs time to work together to listen to the sound and find the picture that shows the source of the sound.
- Encourage children to discuss the sound and what they know about it. Then have children work together to determine what makes the sound.
When all the sounds have a source, distribute the charts. Say, Now look at your pile of pictures. Work together to make a pile of loud sounds and a pile of soft sounds. Have children place the pictures on the appropriate chart. Have them place the pictures that show the loudest sound on top and the softest sound on the bottom.
Replay the sounds and have children rearrange the pictures if they have a different idea after hearing the sounds again.
Repeat with high and low sounds. Have them place the pictures that show the highest sound on top and the lowest sound on the bottom.
Reflect and Share
Allow groups time to replay sounds and share their charts. Record the names of the children in each group on the chart and hang the charts in the Science and Math Center.