Preview · the opening missionRead this to the class:
Maya's grandpa plays a big drum. When he hits it, BOOM! Maya can hear it, and she can even feel it in her tummy. "Grandpa," she asked, "where does the sound come from? Can I see it?" Grandpa smiled. "Look very closely," he said. Your job: help Maya find out if you can see a sound.
Teams of three, with three jobs that swap each time you try something new: the Maker makes the sound, the Watcher looks very closely, and the Teller says what the team saw and heard.
Look inside the PDF
Sample pages, stamped “preview”. The download is the clean, full lesson.
In the full lesson PDF
- Predict (5 min)
- Hunt (20 min)
- Reveal (10 min)
- Act (5 min)
- Background for the teacher
- Assessment
- Student sheet
On the student sheet
- My prediction
- What I saw
- Draw a sound
- I think…
US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white. The student sheet is on its own page, ready to photocopy.
Free with an account (any 3 lessons), or US$19 / C$25 for all 3 lessons in this unit.
What students show by the end
- Observes vibration
- Links shaking to sound
- Claim and evidence
From the lesson’s rubric, which scores each one as not yet, getting there or got it.
Questions teachers ask
How long does “Can you see a sound?” take?
40–45 min. Group size: teams of 3.
How much prep does it need?
15 minutes: stretch plastic wrap very tightly over each bowl and hold it with a big rubber band, so it is smooth like a drum skin. Try one yourself with the pan and spoon so you know how close to hold the pan. Put a spoonful of rice in a small cup for each team.
What materials do I need?
Plastic or metal mixing bowl, about 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in) across; plastic wrap; large rubber band to hold the wrap on the bowl; uncooked rice (or coarse salt); metal pot or baking pan and a metal or wooden spoon; small open box (tissue box or shoebox) and 2 rubber bands; and 2 more. Cost: about $10 for a class of 30.
Which curriculum standards does it cover?
NGSS (US): 1-PS4-1. It also matches BC Science, Grade 1.
What’s in the lesson PDF?
A teacher guide that walks you through predict, hunt, reveal, act, background for the teacher and assessment, then a student sheet (“My prediction”, “What I saw”, “Draw a sound” and “I think…”) on its own page, ready to photocopy. It’s US Letter and prints cleanly in black and white.
Can I try it for free?
Yes. A free account includes any 3 full lessons of your choice, and this can be one of them. After that, this unit is US$19 (C$25) for all 3 lessons, yours to keep, or every lesson is US$79 (C$109) a year.