Explore Together (indoors): Rubber Band Guitars

© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.

STEM Key Concepts: Different objects make different sounds; Sounds vary in three ways: volume (loud or soft), pitch (high or low), and timbre (quality); A sound becomes louder when the force of the action that is creating the sound is increased

ELA Focus Skills: Speaking and Listening, Vocabulary

Educator Prep: Try out these materials beforehand so you can choose rubber bands that fit and produce satisfying tones of different pitches.

Guide children as they explore making different sounds by plucking rubber bands. Display the materials. Have children watch you and then place a rubber band around a box, bread pan, etc., to make rubber band guitars. Voice concern about the size of the rubber band you selected as you pull the band over the box. Ask, Hmm, is this one big enough to fit around this box? I’ll try it carefully and slowly so it doesn’t snap on me.

• Say, Let’s make a sound with the rubber band by plucking it like this. Demonstrate how to pluck the guitar. Then pluck again, this time changing the pitch of the sound. Say, Did you hear how that sound was different than the first? Listen as I make the sounds again.
• Ask, How were the sounds different? Why do you think the second sound was higher than the first sound? Explain that when you change how you pluck the band, you change the pitch, or how high and low, the sound is. Have children explore making differently-pitched sounds using different size containers and rubber bands. As they explore, encourage them to describe the sounds they hear. (“I hear a high pitch sound. I hear a low pitch sound.”)

Talk about how instruments of different sizes and shapes and materials make different sounds when played. Have a volunteer choose another container and demonstrate as children listen closely to the different sounds the rubber band instrument produces.

Have children freely explore making different sounds with the materials. You may want to have children explore with a partner. Have one child make a sound and have the partner try to imitate it. Encourage children to describe the sounds they are making. (It sounded like a really loud car horn. It’s a high, squeaky sound. The fat rubber band made a lower sound than the skinny one.)

Observe children at work, noticing what captures their attention. At times, engage them in conversation and have them share what they are observing while making sounds or what they are noticing and wondering about the sounds they are making. Ask,

• What’s the highest sound your instrument can make? How can you make a lower sound?
• Does that rubber band make the same sound as this one? Why do you think that is?
• How can you pluck the bands and make them sound different?

Encourage the use of vocabulary such as loud, soft, high, higher, low, lower, and pluck as children share their observations.

Reflect and Share

Have children share their observations. Help them record their sounds on a recorder as they share. Encourage them to record their name and a brief comment about how they made each sound. For example, When I pluck this rubber band I get a high screechy sound like a police siren. This makes a low grumble sound like thunder.