Lesson Title: Pitched Perfect Music

Grade Level: 4th Quarter: 2nd

Standards:
Science
S4P2.Students will demonstrate how sound is produced by vibrating objects and how sound can be varied by changing
the rate of vibration.
a. Investigate how sound is produced.
b. Recognize the conditions that cause pitch to vary.

Habits of Mind
CS3-Students will use tools and instruments for observing, measuring, and manipulating objects in scientific activities.

Engineering skills

Lesson Essential Question: Vocabulary:

How can I demonstrate how sound is Sound

produced by vibrating objects and varied Pitch
by changing pitch? Vibrations

Lesson Materials: Lesson Assessment:

craft sticks
tape Student Journal
paper clips Teacher Observations
aluminum pans
cereal boxes
boxes of different sizes
paper cups
balloons
tissue paper
string straws
card stock
rubber bands
oatmeal canisters
scissors
cans or bottles
any other recycled materials

STEM Challenge Overview:

Students will design and build an instrument that makes sound by vibrations and creates three different pitches.
Teacher Background:
We know that sound is a form of energy produced and transmitted by vibrating matter and that pitch is determined by
the frequency of a vibrating object.

INSTRUCTION
1. Ask/Engage (day 1)

Give each group two rubber bands, one thick and one thin. Have them conduct the following experiments:
Safely stretch each as far as they will go and strum them like a guitar. Look at how the rubber band moves. Listen
carefully to the sound it makes.
Discuss what happened to the rubber band as you stretched it (vibrated).
Discuss what type of sound did it make? How did the thickness change the sound?
If you have access to tuning forks have students strike the tuning fork and then put it to the edge of a piece of paper. You can see
the vibrations and hear the sound it makes. You can also strike a tuning fork and then place it on a table and have the students put
their ear on the table to hear the sound. There are multiple of fun activities to do with tuning forks to allow students to explore with
different pitches.
Be sure to discuss how pitch is created. You can model the sound waves using a slinky.

Introduce the challenge to the class and have students complete the ask/engage part in their student journal.

Challenge:
You are an instrument craftsman for the Pitch Perfect Music Company. It is your job to design and build a musical instrument that
will make at least three different pitches perfectly. To test the pitches, you must to play a tune of your own.
2. Imagine/Brainstorm (day2)

Criteria:
Your instrument must:
Create at least three different recognizable pitches
Be accompanied by a Quick Reference Card explaining how your instrument works
Be made of recycled materials
Be used to play a short tune
Constraints:
Complete the challenge in the time allotted
Use materials provided

Have students individually think of a solution to the problem and draw and label their design.

3. Plan/Design (day 3)
Each student will present their ideas to their team.
Teams will collaborate and decide on a final design plan.
Students draw and label their final design plan and make a list of needed supplies.
Build their design according to their plan.

4. Create / Test (day 3 continued- day 4)

Student teams build their design according to their design plan.

5. Evaluate/Improve and repeat Steps 1-5 (day 5)

Students evaluate their design for success.
Did it meet the established criteria?
Did their final design match their planned design?
How would students improve their design?
 Name__________________

Pitched Perfect Music STEM Challenge

4th Grade

Challenge:

You are an instrument craftsman for the Pitch Perfect Music Company. It is
your job to design and build a musical instrument that will make at least
three different pitches perfectly. To test the pitches, you must play a tune of
your own to.

Criteria:
Your instrument must:
Create at least three different recognizable pitches
Be accompanied by a Quick Reference Card explaining how your
instrument works
Be made of recycled materials
Be used to play a short tune

Constraints:
Use the materials provided
Complete the challenge in the allotted time

Materials: Various materials will be provided by your teacher.

1. ASK / ENGAGE: What is the problem you are being asked to solve?

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2. IMAGINE/BRAINSTORM: What are some possible solutions to the problem that you are trying to solve? After you brainstorm,
draw and label your ideas below.
Idea #1 Idea #2

3. PLAN/DESIGN: Share your ideas with your group and collaborate to decide on a final design plan. Draw your teams design
below and make a list of the materials that you will need to complete your design.
 Team Design Plan Materials List

4. CREATE/TEST: Use your Final Design Plan to create and build your solution. Test your design. Did it work? Why or Why not?
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5. EVAULATE/IMPROVE: How well did your design work? Did your solution solve the problem within the given constraints?
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How can you improve your design? How can you make it better? Draw and label your improved design below.
Improved Design Plan