Sound

Pupils should be taught to:
• identify how sounds are made, associating some of them with something vibrating;
• recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through a medium to the ear;
• find patterns between the pitch of a sound and features of the object that produced it;
• find patterns between the volume of a sound and the strength of the vibrations that produced it;
• recognise that sounds get fainter as the distance from the sound source increases.

Y4 Sound Proofing Investigation (Blank)

Resource Details

Pupils design an investigation to see which material would be the most suitable for soundproofing a ticking clock.

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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - identify how sounds are made, associating some of them with something vibrating
  • WS - make earmuffs from a variety of different materials to investigate which provides the best insulation against sound; make systematic and careful observations; set up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests

Y4 Soundproofing Investigation

Resource Details

Pupils design an investigation to see which material would be the most suitable for soundproofing a ticking clock.

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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - identify how sounds are made, associating some of them with something vibrating
  • WS - make earmuffs from a variety of different materials to investigate which provides the best insulation against sound; make systematic and careful observations; set up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests

Y4 Sound; Making Sound

Resource Details

A PowerPoint presentation used to introduce pupils to sound, how sound is produced and how it travels and the variety of ways that sound can be produced. The PowerPoint can be used at the beginning of the topic or during it to stimulate scientific discussions, ideas and theories.

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Y4 Soundproofing (blank)

Resource Details

Pupils plan an investigation to find out which materials are the most effective at sound proofing. They make predictions, investigate, record observations, present results and draw conclusions.


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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - identify how sounds are made, associating some of them with something vibrating
  • WS - pupils should make earmuffs from a variety of different materials to investigate which provides the best insulation against sound; make systematic and careful observations; set up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests

Y4 Soundproofing

Resource Details

Pupils plan an investigation to find out which materials are the most effective at sound proofing. They make predictions, investigate, record observations, present results and draw conclusions.

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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - identify how sounds are made, associating some of them with something vibrating
  • WS - pupils should make earmuffs from a variety of different materials to investigate which provides the best insulation against sound; make systematic and careful observations; set up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests

Y4 Sound Cannon

Resource Details

Pupils make their own sound cannons to help the demonstrate the presence of sounds waves and how they travel from a source, through the air and to our ears.


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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - identify how sounds are made, associating some of them with something vibrating
  • NaG - pupils should explore and identify the way sound is made through vibration in a range of different musical instruments from around the world
  • WS - pupils should make systematic and careful observations

Y4 Sound Waves

Resource Details

Pupils use a sound cannon to help them investigate and demonstrate the presence and effects of sounds waves.


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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - identify how sounds are made, associating some of them with something vibrating
  • NaG - pupils should explore and identify the way sound is made through vibration in a range of different musical instruments from around the world
  • WS - pupils should make systematic and careful observations

Y4 Observing Sound Waves

Resource Details

Pupils learn that sounds are produced by vibrations and that these vibrations travel through the air and into our ears. They complete an investigation to help demonstrate how sound waves travel from their source, through the air and into our ears.


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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - identify how sounds are made, associating some of them with something vibrating
  • NaG - pupils should explore and identify the way sound is made through vibration in a range of different musical instruments from around the world
  • WS - pupils should make systematic and careful observations

Y4 Sound Vibrations Travel through the Air

Resource Details

Pupils learn that sound is produced by vibrations an that these vibrations produce sound waves and that these sound waves travel through the air and enter our ears. When these sound waves enter our ears we can hear the sound.


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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - identify how sounds are made, associating some of them with something vibrating
  • NaG - pupils should explore and identify the way sound is made through vibration
  • WS - pupils should making systematic and careful observations

Y4 Sound Vibrations

Resource Details

Pupils explore how sound is made with the aid of a tuning fork. They learn that a tuning fork vibrates and it is these vibrations that produce sound.


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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - identify how sounds are made, associating some of them with something vibrating
  • NaG - pupils should explore and identify the way sound is made through vibration in a range of different musical instruments from around the world
  • WS - pupils should make systematic and careful observations

Y4 Sound

Resource Details

Pupils think about how instruments make their sounds and plan their own investigation to explore and record how sounds can be made e.g. hitting, blowing, strumming etc.



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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - identify how sounds are made, associating some of them with something vibrating
  • NaG - pupils should explore and identify the way sound is made through vibration in a range of different musical instruments from around the world
  • WS - pupils should make systematic and careful observations

Y4 Making Sound

Resource Details

Pupils explore a range of instruments and investigate how vibrations, and therefore sound is being made.


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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - identify how sounds are made, associating some of them with something vibrating
  • NaG - pupils should explore and identify the way sound is made through vibration
  • WS - pupils should make systematic and careful observations

Y4 Making Sound Vibrations

Resource Details

Pupils learn that sound can be made in a number of ways, for example hitting, blowing, plucking,
shaking and/or strumming and that each of these sounds are made via vibrations. Pupils explore a number of different instruments to investigate which parts vibrate and make sound.



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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - identify how sounds are made, associating some of them with something vibrating
  • NaG - pupils should explore and identify the way sound is made through vibration in a range of different musical instruments from around the world
  • WS - pupils should making systematic and careful observations

Y4 Testing Sound and Distance – Presenting the Results

Resource Details

Pupils produce a pictograph of their results from 'Testing Sound and Distance' investigation.



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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through a medium to the ear; recognise that sounds get fainter as the distance from the sound source increases
  • WS - recording findings using simple scientific language, drawings, labelled diagrams, keys, bar charts, and tables

Y4 Testing Sound and Distance

Resource Details

Pupils place a ticking clock (or similar item) on a table at one end of the classroom (or school hall). They stand next to, but facing away from, the table. When everything is quiet pupil raise their hand if they can hear the ticking clock? Pupils take one step forwards and raise their hand again if they can hear the clock. They repeat this process until they can no longer hear the clock. Pupils record their findings and place their results into a pictograph.




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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through a medium to the ear; recognise that sounds get fainter as the distance from the sound source increases
  • NaG - pupils should explore and identify the way sound is made through vibration
  • WS - making systematic and careful observations

Y4 Making Different Sounds

Resource Details

Pupils investigate a range of instruments to find out the main way that they are played to make their sound, strumming, striking, shaking or blowing.



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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - identify how sounds are made, associating some of them with something vibrating
  • NaG - pupils should explore and identify the way sound is made through vibration in a range of different musical instruments from around the world
  • WS - making systematic and careful observations

Y4 Loud Sounds

Resource Details

Pupils look at a selection of pictures of everyday things that make sounds. They have to discuss which of the sounds they think can be heard from long distances? They cut out the pictures and place them in order, loudest sound to quietest. They compare their order with the other children in the class and discuss whose order they think is correct and why?




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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through a medium to the ear; recognise that sounds get fainter as the distance from the sound source increases
  • NaG - pupils should explore and identify the way sound is made through vibration
  • WS - making systematic and careful observations

Y4 Describing Sounds

Resource Details

Pupils look at a range of instruments placed on a resource table. Each instrument should have a label on it naming it. Pupils explore these instruments one at a time to find out what sounds they can make with them. They record their investigation in a booklet.



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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - identify how sounds are made, associating some of them with something vibrating
  • NaG - pupils should explore and identify the way sound is made through vibration in a range of different musical instruments from around the world
  • WS - making systematic and careful observations

Y4 Body Sounds

Resource Details

Pupils investigate the various ways that their bodies can make sounds. They record in pictures and words the ways they made these sounds.



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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - identify how sounds are made, associating some of them with something vibrating
  • NaG - pupils should explore and identify the way sound is made through vibration
  • WS - making systematic and careful observations

Y4 How we Hear

Resource Details

Pupils learn about the five senses and how they help us make sense of the world. They then think about how the world may be if they lost one of their senses - the sense of hearing!



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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through a medium to the ear
  • NaG - pupils should explore and identify the way sound is made through vibration
  • WS - making systematic and careful observations

Y4 Hearing and Safety

Resource Details

Pupils cut out a number of 'listening' cards and discuss how sound is being used to warn people about everyday dangers. They are also encouraged to think about what could happen in each of the situations if they could not hear?



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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through a medium to the ear
  • NaG - pupils should explore and identify the way sound is made through vibration
  • WS - making systematic and careful observations

Y4 Listening to Sounds

Resource Details

Pupils learn that sound is made from a sound source and that there are many different sound sources. Pupils explore a range of instruments and record the variety of ways that they make sound e.g. hitting, strumming, shaking etc.



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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through a medium to the ear
  • NaG - pupils should explore and identify the way sound is made through vibration
  • WS - making systematic and careful observations

Y4 Using Our Hearing

Resource Details

Pupils learn about the importance of hearing as a sense and how hearing helps us with our everyday lives. They learn about how our hearing helps us to keep safe and that there are some sounds that we find pleasant on the ear and other that we would prefer to avoid.


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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through a medium to the ear
  • NaG - pupils should explore and identify the way sound is made through vibration
  • WS - making systematic and careful observations

Y4 Investigating Pitch

Resource Details

Pupils learn about 'pitch' and how pitch is different from volume. They learn that pitch has a range of sounds that go from low to high. They learn that deeper sounds have a lower the pitch and higher sounds have a higher pitch. Pupils complete an investigate into pitch by placing a number of containers, each filled with different amounts of water, into order according the pitch produced when struck.


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Learning Objectives:

  • PoS - find patterns between the pitch of a sound and features of the object that produced it; find patterns between the volume of a sound and the strength of the vibrations that produced it
  • NaG - pupils should find out how the pitch and volume of sounds can be changed in a variety of ways
  • WS - pupils should find out how the pitch and volume of sounds can be changed in a variety of ways