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GOALS

The Physics of Sound Module consists of four sequential investigations, each designed to expose a specific set of concepts. Students learn to discriminate between sounds generated by dropped objects, how sounds can be made louder or softer and higher or lower, how sounds travel through a variety of materials, and how sounds get from a source to a receiver. The investigations provide opportunities for students to explore the natural and humanmade worlds by observing and manipulating materials in focused settings using simple tools.

FOSS EXPECTS STUDENTS TO

• Observe and compare sounds to develop discrimination ability.
• Communicate with others using a drop code.
• Learn that sound originates from a source that is vibrating and is detected at a receiver such as the human ear.
• Understand the relationship between the pitch of a sound and the physical properties of the sound source (i.e. length of vibrating object, frequency of vibrations, and tension of vibrating string).
• Compare methods to amplify sound at the source and at the receiver.
• Observe and compare how sound travels through solids, liquids, and air.
• Use knowledge of the physics of sound to solve simple sound challenges.
• Acquire vocabulary associated with the physics of sound.
• Exercise language, social studies, and math skills in the context of the physics of sound.
• Develop and refine the manipulative skills required for investigating sound.
• Use scientific thinking processes to conduct investigations and build explanations: observing, communicating, comparing, and organizing.

For a description of each investigation in the Physics of Sound Module and the correlations to the National Science Education Standards, download the Module Overview PDF.

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