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4.P.3 Recognize that energy takes various forms that may be grouped based on their interaction
with matter.

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4.P.3 Recognize that energy takes various forms that may be grouped based on their interaction
with matter.

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4.P.3.1 Recognize the basic forms of energy (light, sound, heat, electrical, and magnetic) as the

ability to cause motion or create change.

4.P.3.2 Recognize that light travels in a straight line until it strikes an object or travels from one

medium to another, and that light can be reflected, refracted, and absorbed.

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4.L.1 Understand the effects of environmental changes, adaptations and behaviors that enable animals (including humans) to survive in changing habitats.

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4.L.1 Understand the effects of environmental changes, adaptations and behaviors that enable animals (including humans) to survive in changing habitats.

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4.L.1.1 Give examples of changes in an organism’s environment that are beneficial to it and

some that are harmful.

4.L.1.3 Explain how humans can adapt their behavior to live in changing habitats (e.g.,

recycling wastes, establishing rain gardens, planting trees and shrubs to prevent

flooding and erosion).

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EX.4.P.2 Compare solid materials by their physical properties.

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EX.4.P.2 Compare solid materials by their physical properties.

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EX.4.P.2.1 Identify different types of solid materials (wood, rock, plastic, rubber, glass, metal).

EX.4.P.2.2 Compare physical properties of solid materials (weight, texture, hardness,

flexibility, and strength).

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-Habitat

-Survival

-Texture

-Density

-Flexibility

-Light

-Heat

-Sound

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-How do plants adapt their behaviors to survive in changing environments?

-What properties make one material better for a specific use than another?

-In what way can we see energy being transformed from one to another in our daily lives?

-How do changes in a plant's environment affect its energy needs and survival?

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Perfect for building models of habitats or even creating structures to test other materials properties.

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Craft foam is useful to for children to explore flexibility and texture while making models.

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Important when discussing density and strength when the children build structures.

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Fabrics can be used in many ways. Especially if they have varied textures such as (cotton, silk, wool) students can compare properties like softness and flexibility.

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Plastic cups, especially those of different materials are useful in exploring the properties of sound energy.

Vibration can be used with the instruments to influence creativity by creating musical instruments.

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Aluminum foil has many uses, it can begin by expressing heat conductivity in a low heat environment to keep the children safe.

Also the foil is easily malleable and can be shaped into many different projects to explore the properties of malleability.

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Rubber bands allow for creativity to be expressed in multiple ways.

In a science perspective, the bands allow for the students to explore elasticity.

The storage of energy, kinetic and potential has an opportunity to be introduced as well.

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Batteries and small motors can allow for students to explore electricity in simple ways. Using simple circuits and buttons the students can explore electrical energy in safe and practical ways.

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Paper straws can be used in building lightweight structures. Teaching children about flexibility and strength properties. Similar to building blocks, they can compare and contrast between the two to see where each one has their positives and negatives.

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Natural Materials (rocks, leaves, twigs)

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Natural Materials (rocks, leaves, twigs)

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The use of natural materials is extremely important in the aspect of engaging children with nature in a creative and learning environment.

Using these, students can explore habitats, adaptations and environmental changes.

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Natural Materials (rocks, leaves, twigs)

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Students can utilize carboard boxes, natural materials and others to create dioramas to represent animal habitats.

The point of the assignment is to express how animals can adapt to a changing environment.

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Learn how to create your own habitat diorama out of a shoe box! This habitats activity for kids can take a few days and it will allow their creativity to shine.

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Students can create various musical instruments using plastic cups, carboard boxes and rubber bands.

Exploring how different tensions create different sounds, hence creating different instruments and maybe a class band!

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Summary

Introduction

Did you know that the modern guitar is an instrument that dates back over 4,000 years? The first guitar music was published in 1546, during a time when guitars still had strings made from animal intestines! While guitars have a long history, they are still extremely popular in modern day music. Have you ever wondered how they make the music you listen to everyday? In this activity we're going to make our own guitars, and experiment with the different sounds we can create.

This activity is not recommended for use as a science fair project. Good science fair projects have a stronger focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data. To find a science fair project that is just right for you, browse our library of over 1,200 Science Fair Project Ideas or use the Topic Selection Wizard to get a personalized project recommendation.

Materials

Prep Work

Instructions

1. Wrap a rubber band around the tissue box so it goes across the hole. Whether you do this length-wise or width-wise depends on the size of your rubber band.

2. Slide the two pencils under the rubber band, on one each side of the hole.

What Happened?

When you plucked the rubber band, you made it vibrate. This caused the nearby air molecules to vibrate, creating a sound wave that traveled to your ear. Your brain interpreted these vibrations and you heard the sound. The pitch (highness or lowness) of the sound a rubber band makes depends on several factors. Read the Digging Deeper section to learn more.

Digging Deeper

All sounds are caused by vibrations, or rapid back-and-forth motions of an object. These vibrations can transfer to nearby molecules (usually air, but sounds can also travel through liquids and solids) and ultimately reach our ears. The frequency of the vibration, or number of vibrations per second, determines the pitch that we hear. Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz). One hertz equals one vibration per second. Human hearing is typically in the range of 20 Hz up to 20,000 Hz. Some animals, like dogs, can hear up to around 45,000 Hz!

The frequency of a sound depends on several factors. In general, smaller, lighter things will make higher-frequency sounds than bigger, heavier things. This is why children generally have higher-pitched voices than adults. The pitch of the rubber bands in your guitar depends on how thick they are, how tightly they are stretched, and the length of the vibrating section between the pencils. The thinner the rubber band, the tighter it is stretched, and the shorter the length of the vibrating section, the higher the pitch will be. By carefully manipulating these variables (for example, using rubber bands that are all the same length, but different thickness) you can create a rubber band guitar with multiple "strings" that each have a different pitch.

These concepts all apply to real guitars (and other instruments) as well. If you look at a real guitar you will notice that the strings are not all the same thickness. Thicker strings have a lower pitch. If you press down on a string partway along its length, you shorten the vibrating section, increasing the pitch. This allows you to play a wide range of frequencies with just a few strings.

Ask an Expert

For Further Exploration

Try using different size boxes or changing the size of the hole in the box. How does this affect the sound?

Lesson Plans

Young students know that they can hear sounds, but do they know what causes sounds? In this lesson they will learn that sounds are caused by vibrations, and they will build a fun musical instrument of their own. In the Sound and Vibrations 2: Make Sprinkles Dance, students will learn that sounds can also cause vibrations. Read more

Careers

Any time you hear music at a concert, a live speech, the police sirens in a TV show, or the six o'clock news you're hearing the work of a sound engineering technician. Sound engineering technicians operate machines and equipment to record, synchronize, mix, or reproduce music, voices, or sound effects in recording studios, sporting arenas, theater productions, or movie and video productions. Read more

One of the basic truths in the universe is that objects tend to go from a state of higher organization to a state of lower organization over time. In other words, things break down, and when those things are precision instruments or equipment, they require the services of very specialized technicians to restore them to their working order. Precision instrument or equipment technicians often combine a love of music, medicine, electronics, or antiques with delicate mechanical repair work. Read more

Ever wondered who makes sure the Jumbotron works at the super bowl? Or that the microphones work at a presidential inauguration? These are the tasks of an audio and video equipment technician. Audio and video equipment technicians work to set up and operate audio and video equipment, including microphones, sound speakers, video screens, projectors, video monitors, and recording equipment. Read more

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Make a Rubber Band Guitar | STEM Activity

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Learn about the science of sound in this fun activity.

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Building Structures with Wooden Blocks and Paper Straws

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Building Structures with Wooden Blocks and Paper Straws

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The students can use wooden blocks and paper straws to test flexibility and strength.

Further discussing how materials can affect the design and stability of their structures in a fun and engaging way.

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PBS LearningMedia | Teaching Resources For Students And Teachers

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Inspire your students with thousands of free teaching resources including videos, lesson plans, and games aligned to state and national standards.

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Students will build solar ovens, using simple materials like carboard boxes and aluminum foil.

The children can identify how sunlight quickly turns into heat energy and discuss the effectives of different designs amongst the class.

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Climate Kids is produced by the Earth Science Communications Team at

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Students can perform a nature scavenger hunt where they will collect various nature materials like rocks, twigs and leaves.

The students will discuss how these materials adapt and change to their environment through different seasons.