- chime
- high/low-pitched cell phone rings, high/low-pitched songs (opera/country), and other recordings that demonstrate pitch
- tape or video recorder (optional)
- whistle
- high
- loud
- low
- pitch
- soft
- 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/Properties of Matter PS1.B Differentiate between the properties of an object and those of the material of which it is made in science explorations and activities such as art and music.
Physical Sciences/Energy and PS4.B Apply their understanding in their play of how to change volume and pitch of some sounds.
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:
Science and Technology/Inquiry Skills 1 Ask and seek out answers to questions about objects and events with the assistance of interested adults.
Science and Technology/Inquiry Skills 2 Make predictions about changes in materials or objects based on past experience.
Science and Technology/Technology and Engineering 23 Explore and describe a wide variety of natural and man-made materials through sensory experiences.
Explore Together (indoors): Different Voices, Different Pitch
© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.
STEM Key Concepts: An action has to happen to make a sound; 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, softer when the force is decreased
ELA Focus Skills: Listening and Speaking, Vocabulary
Continue to talk about pitch. Review the idea that a high pitch is way up here (raise your hand up and make a high sound) and a low pitch is way down here (lower your hand and make a low sound). Explain that this is different from when they changed the volume of their voices, or made them louder and softer.
Have children explore making different sound pairs with their voices (a high sound and a soft sound; a low sound and a loud sound, etc.) As children explore have them describe the sounds they are making and ask questions such as,
- Is it easier to make a high pitch sound or a low pitch sound?
- How did you make that low sound? It sounded like (a cat purring).
- Can you make a high pitch sound (like a police siren)? A low pitch sound (like a car horn)?
You may want to have children record their sounds and have them describe the sounds in terms of high/low and loud/soft.
Reflect and Share
Play a High/Low game. Ask children to stand up high when they hear you make a high pitch sound and squat down low when you make a low pitch sound. Allow children a chance to be the sound maker.
Social Emotional Tip: Reminding children to use a strong voice as they explore making different voice sounds will help build their self-concept.