A surprise fire drill couldn't hold us back from testing our sound technologies!  While first graders were supposed to test their technologies in the cafeteria, it didn't work out because we spent the time outside during the fire drill!  We were flexible, however, and tested our designs in class to see how they worked and if they could actually get someone's attention with a lot of noise. Way to go first grade!

Ms. U needs our help!  Sometimes it can be challenging to get everyone's attention in the cafeteria, especially when it's time to clean up.  Here comes 1st grade to the rescue to help!

With limited materials, first graders are designing technologies that can make three distinct sounds to get their classmates' attention.  They've mapped out their plans and are testing their solutions.  They'll be making improvements along the way!

First graders know that when we talk, our vocal chords vibrate.  The vibrations cause air to vibrate and eventually reach our ears and they receive the sound.  Sound can vary in volume, meaning it can be loud or soft or somewhere in between.  It can also vary in pitch, ranging in between high and low.

First graders are being challenged to use limited materials to communicate with someone across a distance.  They have a secret to share and don't want everyone to hear it, so they must contain the sound but still allow it to travel.  Check out their initial ideas and designs!

First graders are becoming sound experts.  They are seeing the effects of sound...and the effects of vibrations and what happens when we no longer hear sound or feel vibrations.

Using balloons and tubes, first graders are gathering more evidence to support how sound and vibrations are linked.  They are also looking for patterns about the sounds they hear and the vibrations they see or feel.  What types of sounds do strong vibrations make?  Weak vibrations?

What happens when  you first strike a tuning fork?  What happens when you place the tuning fork you struck against your skin?  In the water?

First graders are seeing what causes sound!  They are looking for evidence to explain what vibrations are and how they are responsible for causing sound.  

First graders are experimenting with sound.  Using a tuning fork, students are seeing what happens to a tuning fork when you place it in the air around us, against their hand, and in water.  First graders are recording their observations and developing a model for how sound interacts with matter.  Way to go first grade!

First graders started their sound unit with a read aloud of The Remarkable Farkle McBride!  Farkle continues to try instrument after instrument and none of them seem to make him happy.  It's not until he conducts the orchestra when he's becomes his joyful self again!

First graders will be seeing first hand how sound is made and what sound can do to matter.  We'll be using lots of materials to see how we can make sound and change matter by introducing sound to them.

Our first experiment with sound involved a tuning fork.  First graders are learning what it means for something to vibrate or cause vibrations!